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mwr.  DF  GALIF.  LWRARY.  LOS  ANGELIC 


CAP'N  GID 

By 

Elizabeth  Lincoln  Gould 

Author  of  "Grandma" 


Illustrated  by 

Ralph  L.  Boyer 


The  Penn  Publishing 

Company 

1916 


COPYRIGHT 
19  16  BY 
THE  PENN 
PUBLISHING 
COMPANY 


Cap'n  Gld 


CAP'N   GID 

CHAPTEE  I 

A  ROARING  March  wind  tore  along  the 
road,  but  old  Asa  Dean  in  his  sun-parlor 
rejoiced  at  the  sight  of  dry  leaves  and  twigs 
and  stray  bits  of  paper  whirling  and  rattling 
past  while  he  sat  safe  and  warm  behind  the 
sheltering  glass, 

"  Just  the  kind  o'  day  to  blow  folks'  heads 
clear  o'  nonsense,"  he  muttered.  "  Town  Meet- 
ing work  is  two  days  old  now,  and  it's  high 
time  those  that  have  been  yappin'  like  dogs  at 
one  another  for  weeks  should  begin  acting  like 
5 


2129691 


CAFN  GID 

human  bein's.  I  suspect  it's  taken  Cap'n  Gid 
most  o'  the  tune  to  get  calmed  down,  though 
he's  never  one  o'  the  yappin'  kind." 

On  a  small  table  at  Mr.  Dean's  elbow  lay  a 
backgammon  board  with  the  men  set  out  in 
proper  order,  ready  for  the  first  move.  The 
old  man  looked  at  it  longingly,  and  then  con- 
sulted a  big  silver  watch  that  lay  beside  it. 

"  Gid's  a  full  half  hour  later'n  he's  been  any 
Thursday  morning  for  the  last  five  years  since 
he  began  coming  to  play,"  he  said  reproach- 
fully to  his  daughter  who  stepped  out  from  the 
house  to  see  if  he  had  everything  he  wished  at 
hand.  "  Do  you  suppose  that  Widow  Mason 
has  waylaid  him  ?  " 

"  Marilla  says  he  steers  clear  of  her  house," 
said  Mrs.  Gaynes.  "Maybe  he  isn't  coming 
to-day.  You  know,  father,  he  got  real  worked 
up  at  Town  Meeting  and  he  spoke  pretty  sharp 
to  Henry  about  the  drinking  fountain." 

"What    o'  that?"  demanded    her    father. 

"  Supposin'  he  does  think  Henry  and  the  others 

have  been  short-sighted  not  to  take  the  advice 

of  a  man  fifty-two  years  old  that's  had  wide 

6 


CAFN  GID 

experience,  what's  that  to  do  with  our  rubber 
o'  gammon  ?  " 

"Oh,  nothing,"  said  Mrs.  Gaynes  hastily, 
wishing  she  had  held  her  tongue.  "  Look, 
father  !  Here  comes  Eddy  Foss  running  down 
the  hill.  Maybe  he's  been  up  there ;  the  cap'n 
makes  a  lot  of  him,  and  he's  at  the  house  more 
than  half  the  time,  his  mother  says.  Marilla 
sends  him  on  errands." 

"  Hail  him,  won't  ye  ?  "  besought  Mr.  Dean. 
"  Like  as  not  he'll  tear  right  past  to  the  post- 
office  if  you  don't.  They  may  talk  all  they 
like  about  that  boy's  being  delicate  and  being 
kept  out  of  school  on  that  account,  but  he  beats 
any  other  child  ever  I  saw  for  running.  Hail 
him ! " 

Mrs.  Gaynes  obediently  waved  her  apron 
and  called  from  the  end  of  the  piazza  while 
her  father  rapped  as  sharply  as  he  dared  on 
the  glass.  The  boy  turned  and  ran  up  the 
path,  beginning  to  talk  before  he  was  fairly 
admitted  to  the  sun-parlor. 

"  I  was — coming — anyway,"  he  gasped. 
"  You — needn't — have — screeched — so  loud  ! " 
7 


CAFN  GID 

"  Here,  catch  your  breath,  sonny,"  coonseled 
Asa  Dean,  although  his  curiosity  had  mounted 
high.  "  Your  news'll  keep  a  minute  or  two, 
I  don't  see  anybody  on  the  horizon  that  can 
get  here  an'  tell  it  before  ye.  There  now, 
what  is  it?" 

"  Cap'n  Gid  has  gone ! "  said  little  Eddy 
Foss,  his  voice  still  breathless,  but  apparently 
because  of  his  weight  of  importance  rather  than 
his  recent  haste.  "  Yes,  s'r,  he's  gone,  an'  his 
trunk's  gone  the  same  train,  an'  he  took  his  big 
valise,  an'  he'd  gone  when  I  got  there,  an'  Miss 
Marilla  she  don't  know  when  he's  coming  back 
nor  whether  he  ever  is,  an' " 

"  Hold  on !  "  roared  old  Asa  Dean.  "  Where's 
he  gone?  What  kind  o'  tomfoolery  is  this 
you're  talking,  boy  ?  " 

"She  said  he'd  gone  to  the  city."  Eddy 
Foss  was  delighted  with  the  effect  of  his  an- 
nouncement, eyeing  the  old  man's  crimson  face 
with  great  satisfaction ;  it  had  seldom  been  his 
privilege  to  impart  news  of  much  importance 
to  any  one.  "  She  said  he  was  '  snapping  mad, 
an'  wouldn't  brook  any  questioning,'  "  quoted 


CAP'N  GID 

the  boy  glibly.  "  He  left  the  jack-knife  he'd 
promised  me  wrapped  up  in  a  piece  o'  paper 
with  my  name  on  it.     Want  to  see  it  ?  " 

The  crimson  in  the  old  face  so  close  to  his 
was  fading  to  a  purplish  tint,  and  the  sight  of 
the  knife  aroused  no  gleam  of  interest  in  the 
eyes  that  gazed  so  dully  at  it. 

"  They  went  too  far,  that's  what  they  did," 
muttered  Asa  Dean.  "  An'  your  Henry  was  to 
blame,  much  as  anybody,"  he  added,  turning 
on  his  daughter  who  had  lingered,  unwisely  as 
she  now  discovered.  "  You've  driven  him  away 
from  the  town  that  owes  him  more'n  anybody 
else,  that's  what  you've  done,  amongst  ye,"  he 
said  bitterly. 

"Now,  father,"  began  Mrs.  Gaynes,  "you 
know  I  never  went  near  the  Town  Meeting. 
You  can't  blame  me,  anyway " 

The  old  man  brushed  aside  her  words  with  a 
wave  of  his  trembling  hand.  Eddy  Foss  was 
listening,  wide-eyed.  Here  would  be  some- 
thing more  to  tell  at  home  ;  it  was  a  morning 
rich  in  promise. 

"  Where's  anybody  that  wants  to  write  him 
9 


CAFN  GID 

going  to  direct  letters  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Dean  im- 
patiently.    "  Did  Murilly  tell  ye  that  ?  " 

"  She  gave  me  a  slip  o'  paper  for  you,"  said 
Eddy  Foss,  reluctantly,  for  now  he  knew  that 
his  hour  of  importance  was  drawing  to  its 
close.  "  It's  in  one  o'  my  pockets.  He  took 
the  back  road  to  the  station,  Mr.  Dean,  so's 
he  wouldn't  meet  folks.  Miss  Marilla  said, 
an'  it's  awful  muddy  there.  She  said  he 
must've  got  his  shoes  all  sploshed  with  it 
before  he'd  got  down  to  the  turn,  but  he 
wouldn't  hear  to  anything  she  said,  an'  they 
were  his  second  best  shoes,  too ;  nor  she 
couldn't  prevail  on  him  to  put  on  his  arctics, 
neither.  She  said  she  went  just  as  far  as  she 
dared,  an'  a  mite  farther." 

"  I'll  warrant  she  did,"  and  in  the  midst  of 
his  trouble  a  grim  smile  widened  the  old  man's 
mouth.  "  How  many  more  pockets  have  you 
got,  sonny?  You're  taking  pretty  good  care 
not  to  strike  the  right  one  too  soon." 

"  Here  'tis,  Mr.  Dean,"  and  having  reached 
the  last  of  his  nine  pockets,  Eddy  Foss  slowly 
produced  the  sUp  of  paper,  much  crumpled  and 
10 


CAFN  GID 

bearing  the  marks  of  its  recent  companionship 
with  a  ginger  nut  cooky,  quite  fresh  and  still 
delightfully  rich. 

The  old  man  spread  it,  smoothing  its  many 
wrinkles,  on  his  knee,  and  put  on  his  reading 
glasses.  The  writing  was  unmistakably  that 
of  Captain  Gideon  Bold. 

" '  Till  further  notice  address  me  at  385 
Walnut  Street,  Middleton.  Good-bye,'  "  read 
Asa  Dean ;  he  paused  and  read  the  words  a 
second  time  while  Eddy  Foss  made  certain  that 
the  address  was  firmly  enough  fixed  in  his  mind 
to  insure  its  correct  transmission  to  his  mother ; 
after  that,  he  could  afford  to  forget  it. 

"  "Well,"  said  old  Asa  Dean,  "  well — ^he's 
done  it.  Times  enough  he's  said  he  would, 
but  I  never  really  believed  him.  Now  he's 
done  it,  sure  and  certain.  We'U  see  how 
they'll  get  on  without  him,  these  smart  young 
folks  that  think  they  know  so  much  better'n 
he  does.  Old  fellers  like  me  expect  to  be  laid 
on  the  shelf,  but  Gid's  right  in  his  prime;  a 
man  that  went  'round  the  world,  'most,  fol- 
lerin'  the  sea  when  he  wasn't  more'n  a  young- 
11 


CAFN  GID 

ster ;  made  cap'n  in  his  twenties ;  coming  home 
to  settle  down  in  this  dead  'n'  alive  place  on 
account  of  his  old  mother  ;  seeing  her  through 
and  ever  since  then  keeping  on  here  so's  Marilly 
can  feel  she  has  folks,  'cause  she  helped  out 
with  his  mother  those  five  years  when  her 
head  wa'n't  quite  right.  There's  a  cousin  for 
you  !  And  generous  to  a  fault  with  his  money 
to  the  town.  They're  a  parcel  o'  young  fools, 
that's  what  they  are!  I  reckon  the  Widow 
Mason  and  half  a  dozen  others'U  wear  the 
willow.  Come  spring  time  they  all  have  hopes 
of  him  every  year.  Let's  see  how  this  town'U 
get  on  now.    Let's  see !  " 

Eddy  Foss  waited,  fearful  lest  by  a  hasty 
departure  he  might  lose  some  plum  of  knowl- 
edge ;  at  last  seeing  that  the  old  man  had  quite 
forgotten  him  he  slid  out  of  his  chair,  and 
through  the  door  which  led  to  the  kitchen.  A 
few  moments  later  he  fared  joyfully  on  his 
way,  a  hot  cooky  in  each  hand,  the  crumbs  of 
a  third  decorating  the  corners  of  his  mouth. 

"  I'll  bet  ye  they'll  beseech  him  back  before 
a  month's  gone,"  muttered  Asa  Dean.  "  And 
12 


CAP'N  GID 

they'll  get  Marilly  to  intercede  for  'em,  that's 
what  they'll  do.  I'd  like  to  hear  her  remarks 
when  they  do.  Yes,  sir,  a  month's  all  I'll  give 
'em,  an'  I'U  bet  ye  it's  more  than  they'll  take !  " 


13 


CHAPTEE  II 


IT  was  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and 
Mrs.  Rose  Tippett,  wiping  the  dust  from  the 
window  sills  on  which  the  March  wind,  tearing 
by,  had  thrown  it,  gave  a  little  sigh. 

"I  am  thankful  Mrs.  Hitchings  is  not  at 
home,"  she  said.  "  If  she  were  she  would  be 
sure  to  come  in  here  and  tell  me  the  furniture 
covering  will  fade  if  I'm  not  more  careful  about 
pulling  down  the  shades.  She  little  knows  how 
careful  I  am.  If  I  only  could  fade  that  flaming 
red !  but  I  imagine  that  shade  never  fades.  If 
she  hadn't  made  me  buy  it !  I  don't  believe  it 
was  a  bargain  ;  I  believe  nobody  would  take  it 
14 


CAP'N  GID 

off  their  hands.  Ugh  !  More  than  a  year  and 
a  half  I've  looked  at  it,  and  it  is  worse  than 
ever." 

As  she  stood  with  her  back  to  the  windows, 
surveying  the  long  parlor,  her  gaze  fixed  on 
one  serviceable  chair  after  another  and  linger- 
ing though  with  evident  lack  of  joy  on  the 
large  sofa  with  its  five  plump  cushions,  her 
figure  struck  a  note  quite  out  of  harmony, — for 
Mrs.  Kose  Tippett  was  Southern  born  and  so  far 
from  serviceable  in  appearance  that  the  solid 
chairs  and  above  all  the  great  sofa  seemed  to 
cast  reproach  upon  her.  In  addition  to  her 
slender  figure  and  her  delicate  face  with  its  ap- 
pealing eyes  and  vivid,  sensitive  mouth,  Mrs. 
Tippett  was  further  endowed  with  a  crown  of 
red-gold  hair. 

"  When  I  sit  in  one  of  those  dreadful  chairs 
to  talk  to  a  possible  boarder  I  shall  look  a  per- 
fect fright,"  she  had  said  to  herself  on  the  day 
Mrs.  Hitchings  bargained  for  the  flaming  red. 
"  But  I  suppose  I  needn't  sit ;  standing  would 
doubtless  be  more  fitting  for  one  in  my  posi- 
tion. I  shall  have  to  stand  in  the  middle  of 
16 


CAFN  Gm 

the  room  to  get  out  of  range  of  that  awful  sofa. 
After  all,  I  suppose  it  matters  very  little  how  I 
look,"  and  she  sighed,  but  so  softly  that  Mrs. 
Hitchings,  bringing  the  bargain  to  a  triumphant 
close,  did  not  hear. 

Now  as  she  stood  looking  about  her,  Mrs. 
Tippett  sighed  again  and  then,  inconsistently, 
she  smiled  ;  it  was  a  wistful  little  smile,  but  it 
touched  her  lips  with  humor,  giving  them  an 
upward  curve. 

"  Probably  that  biggest  chair  will  just  suit 
Captain  Gideon  Bold,"  she  murmured.  "  I'm 
sure  he  must  be  a  large,  masterful  man ;  his 
two  letters  had  such  a  firm  sound,  and  yester- 
day's telegram  was  so  commanding — *  Make 
preparations  for  arrival  to-morrow  afternoon. 
G.  Bold.'  And  his  card  with  '  Captain  Gideon 
Bold '  on  it  has  a  stem,  uncompromising  look. 
I'm  sure  he  will  be  an  exacting  person,  but  he 
may  be  kind-hearted,  as  so  many  military  men 
are.    I  suppose  he  must  be  military." 

There  came  the  sound  of  carriage  wheels 
stopping  at  the  house.  She  looked  out  and 
saw  a  cab,  the  door  of  which  was  closed,  while 
16 


CAP'N  GID 

on  the  box  the  driver  sat  talking  volubly  to  a 
small,  mud-bespattered  man. 

"  If  Captain  Gideon  Bold  is  in  that  cab  the 
driver  would  better  stop  talking  to  his  friend  and 
get  down  before  the  door  bursts  open  to  let  out 
the  captain  and  his  wrath,"  thought  Mrs.  Tippett. 
"  If  he  is  angry  when  he  comes  in,  he  probably 
won't  like  anything.  Don't  I  remember  how  it 
was  with  Mr.  Farnham  that  first  week,  all  be- 
cause he  tripped  on  the  door-mat?  Why — 
why  !  " 

The  small  man  had  shaken  hands  with  the 
cab-driver  and  leaped  nimbly  down  to  the  side- 
walk. He  opened  the  cab-door  and  brought  to 
light  a  large  valise  and  an  umbrella.  Closing 
the  door  with  a  sharp  slam  he  briskly  mounted 
the  steps  and  rang  the  bell. 

Unmindful  of  the  instructions  of  Mrs.  Hitch- 
ings,  remembering  only  how  long  it  took  the 
maid  to  answer  the  bell  except  when  the  post- 
man rang,  Mrs.  Tippett  hurried  to  the  door. 
Opening  it  she  looked  straight  into  a  pair  of 
merry  blue  eyes  which  twinkled  at  her  from  a 
brown,  humorous  face,  combining  with  a  gener- 
17 


CAFN  GID 

ous  mouth  to  offset  the  effect  of  a  high-bridged 
autocratic  nose. 

"  Cap'n  Gideon  Bold,  miss,"  and  by  a  quick 
manoeuvre  the  umbrella  was  made  to  share  the 
hand  which  held  the  large  valise,  while  the 
other  hand  swept  the  captain's  hat  from  his 
head.  "  I  presume  Mrs.  Tippett  may  have  told 
you  she  expected  me." 

"  Come  in,  please,"  said  Mrs.  Tippett,  a  tinge 
of  pink  creeping  into  her  cheeks.  "  The  rather 
dim  light  of  the  hall  has  deceived  you.  I  am 
Mrs.  Kose  Tippett,  and  very  glad  to  see  you, 
Captain  Bold." 

Hat  in  hand  the  captain  followed  her  into 
the  parlor.  There  he  set  his  valise  on  the  floor 
and  placing  against  a  chair  his  umbrella  with 
his  hat  balanced  on  its  silver  knob,  he  held  out 
his  hand. 

"  You'll  pardon  me,"  he  said  with  twinkling 
eyes,  "  if  I  state  that  the  light  had  nothing  to 
do  with  my  mistake,  Mrs.  Tippett.  I  hope 
you're  as  pleased  to  have  me  here  as  I  am  to 
come,  and  that  you'll  count  on  me  from  a  to  z 
for  anything  I  can  do  for  you  while  I'm  here. 
18 


CAFN  GID 

I  can't  say  just  how  long  that  will  be.  If  you 
have  a  few  miautes  to  spare  I  can  give  you  a 
brief  outline  of  the  cause  of  my  coming,  or  we 
can  let  it  go  till  later ;  any  way  you  say  will 
suit  me." 

In  the  year  and  a  half  that  Mrs.  Eose  Tippett 
had  kept  her  "  select  boarding-house  "  she  had 
seen  many  sorts  of  people  ;  she  had  been  inter- 
viewed by  the  harsh  and  the  bland,  the  con- 
ciliatory and  the  domineering,  but  never  had 
she  encountered  any  one  resembling  this  man 
with  his  instant  friendliness  and  his  offers  of 
help. 

"You  surely  are  too  good  to  be  true,"  she 
told  him  in  her  soft  drawl.  "I  mean  you're 
too  kind  and  thoughtful  to  be  a  real  boarder, 
Captain  Bold.  I'm  afraid  you've  come  out  of 
a  fairy  tale." 

"I'm  plain  flesh  and  blood,"  and  the  cap- 
tain's eyes  twinkled  at  her  again.  "  And  I'm 
pretty  well  spattered  from  my  walk  down  to 
the  station.  Three  miles  down  the  back  road 
I  walked,  and  I  was  so  mad  when  I  started  I 
didn't  pick  my  steps.  It  eased  my  feehngs  to 
19 


CAP'N  GID 

walk  right  through  the  puddles,  and  I  set  my 
feet  down  harder  than  I  need  for  the  first  half 
of  the  way.  After  that  I'd  begun  to  cool  off  a 
bit  and  chose  my  way  more  carefully,  but  the 
mud  had  got  in  its  work  before  that.  Mighty 
powers !  I  hope  none  of  it's  come  off  on  this 
handsome  chair ! "  and  the  captain  jumped 
from  his  seat  and  bent  his  head  to  examine  the 
rep.  "  I'd  better  stand,"  he  said  firmly,  after 
discovering  a  few  specks  of  dried  mud.  "  Yes, 
I'U  stand." 

"  Please  don't,"  said  Mrs.  Tippett  whose 
mind  was  in  a  whirl.  "  If  the  chair  should 
need  to  be  washed  the  color  might  fade  a  little, 
and  I'd  be  so  glad." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  the  captain.  "  It's  very 
polite  of  you,  but  'twould  be  a  pity  to  dim  that 
splendid  color ;  I  can  stand  as  well  as  not.  As 
I  was  saying,  you  naturally  want  to  know  the 
reason  of  my  leaving  home  and  coming  here." 

"  Oh,  no,"  said  Mrs.  Tippett,  "  no  indeed ! 

That  is  no  affair  of  mine,  Captain  Bold.     My 

boarders'  private  concerns  are  not  confided  to 

me,  of  course.     I'm  very  glad  you  wished  to 

20 


CAP'N  GID 

come,  whatever  the  reason.  You  have  written 
so  liberally  about  the  price.  I  hate  to  charge 
so  much  for  the  room,  but  you  see,  it  is  the 
largest  in  the  house  and  it  requires  a  coal  fire 
always  on  cool  days,  because  the  furnace " 

"  There,  never  mind  that,"  and  the  captain 
nodded  at  her  genially.  "  Don't  pucker  your 
forehead  over  that,  please.  I  know  how  fur- 
naces act.  Haven't  I  got  one  in  my  own 
house  ?  and  can  I  keep  my  north  room  warm 
except  when  I  can't  get  it  cool  ?  Never.  Well, 
to  make  a  long  matter  short  I've  lived  for 
thirty-five  years  in  one  town — fifteen  of  them 
when  I  was  a  boy  and  the  other  twenty  since  I 
gave  up  the  sea  because  it  seemed  on  the  whole 
best  to  do  it — and  I've  only  just  found  out  that 
I'm  not  needed  at  all.  I've  been  flattering  my- 
self I  was  of  some  use,  but  it  seems  I'm  not." 

There  was  no  twinkle  left  in  the  blue  eyes  ; 
the  nose  held  sway  over  the  face  and  the  mouth 
was  no  longer  humorous.  Mrs.  Tippett  caught 
her  lower  lip  between  her  teeth.  It  had  been 
a  hard  day  and  she  was  tired.  Could  it  be  that 
after  the  promise  of  his  opening  speech  this 
21 


CAFN  GID 

new  boarder  would  disappoint  her  ?  But  while 
she  looked  at  him  wistfully  his  face  cleared. 

"  I've  come  away  to  teach  'em  a  lesson,  Mrs. 
Tippett,"  he  said  with  a  quick  return  to  cheer- 
fulness. "  I've  learned  one  myself,  now  let's 
see  what  they'll  learn.  They're  planning  to 
plant  the  new  drinking  fountain  right  down  in 
front  of  the  tavern  in  the  blinding  sun,  instead 
of  setting  it  the  other  side  of  the  green  under 
the  shade  trees.  They  claim  it'll  look  better 
out  there,  and  they  haven't  one  of  them  got 
imagination  enough  to  think  how  it'll  feel  to 
the  horses  and  the  travelers.  Well,  I  wish 
them  joy  of  it,  that's  all.  I  wish  them  joy  of 
it,  and  of  raising  the  money  for  it,  what's  more. 
Not  a  penny  of  mine  will  they  get.  They've 
appointed  Henry  Gaynes,  son-in-law  of  my  old 
friend  Asa  Dean,  collector  of  funds,  and  a  poor 
choice  they've  made,"  he  added. 

"  I'm  sure  they  have,  if  you  say  so,"  mur- 
mured Mrs.  Tippett,  beginning  to  like  her  new 
boarder  again,  for  after  all  he  was  evidently  not 
given  to  long-standing  rage.  "  And  now  I  think 
you'd  like  to  go  to  your  room.  Captain  Bold." 
22 


CAFN  GID 

"  Maybe  I'd  better,"  and  catching  up  his 
valise  as  if  it  were  a  toy,  putting  his  umbrella 
under  one  arm  and  his  hat  under  the  other,  the 
captain  stood  aside  for  Mrs.  Tippett  to  lead  the 
way. 

He  was  feeling  a  little  tired  and  a  good 
deal  excited.  He  had  expected  to  find  in 
Mrs.  Kose  Tippett  a  woman  resembling  in  a 
general  way  Mrs.  Hannah  Gorham,  who  kept 
the  only  boarding-house  in  Felling.  He  had 
thought  of  her  a§  a  type  quite  sure  to  be  found 
under  given  circumstances.  But  instead  of  sharp 
eyes  he  had  looked  into  soft  brown  ones,  in- 
stead of  a  long  determined  jaw  he  had  seen  a 
delicately  rounded  chin,  and  in  place  of  a  mouth 
so  thin-lipped  and  straight  that  it  always  re- 
minded him  of  the  slit  in  Eddy  Foss's  penny 
savings-bank  he  had  gazed  at  a  scarlet  witchery 
of  curves.  Mrs.  Hannah  Gorham  was  rigid  as 
one  of  her  own  gate-posts,  Mrs.  Rose  Tippett 
was  like — the  captain  was  not  able  to  decide 
just  what  she  was  like,  but  it  surely  was  not  a 
gate-post. 

He  was  thinking  about  it  as  they  went  up 
23 


CAFN  GID 

the  stairs ;  still  thinking  about  it  as  he  followed 
Mrs.  Tippett  around  the  room,  looking  obedi- 
ently at  everything  she  pointed  out. 

"  See  here,"  he  said,  "  are  you  sure  you're 
charging  me  enough?  Hot  water  coming 
right  up  into  my  room  is  worth  considerable, 
and  a  closet  that  size.  I  shall  have  to  hang  up 
everything  I  own,  handkerchiefs  and  all,  to 
cover  those  nails.  "Whew  !  I  wish  Cousin  Ma- 
nila could  see  this  closet.  She's  the  one  who 
keeps  house  for  me,  and  for  all  she  hasn't  any 
great  array  of  garments,  she's  forever  mourn- 
ing about  the  lack  of  closet  room  in  my  old 
home." 

"  You  see  I've  put  in  half  a  dozen  coat-hang- 
ers and  half  a  dozen  trousers  hangers,  in  case 
you  might  not  have  remembered  to  bring  them, 
coming  away  in  haste,"  said  Mrs.  Tippett,  her 
heart  greatly  cheered  by  this  liberal  encourage- 
ment. "I  know  gentlemen  do  forget,  some- 
times." 

The  captain  threw  back  his  head  and  laughed. 
At  the  sound  Mrs.  Tippett  heard  a  soft  stir  from 
the  landing  above,  and  through  the  crack  of  the 
24 


CAFN  GID 

door  she  saw  on  the  landing  a  figure  poised  in 
a  listening  attitude. 

"I'm  thinking  about  the  string  Manila's 
stretched  across  my  closet  up  home,"  said  the 
captain,  "and  how  my  winter  suit  sagged  it 
down.  I'm  intending  to  buy  a  spring  overcoat 
and  an  extra  pair  of  trousers,  now  I'm  in  the 
city ;  and  I  may  get  something  in  the  line  of 
a  dressy  suit,"  he  added  thoughtfully.  "  The 
hooks  and  everything  will  come  in  very  handy, 
thank  you." 

"  Dinner  is  at  half -past  six,"  said  Mrs.  Tippett, 
smiling  back  at  him  from  the  door.  "  I  hope 
you  will  enjoy  meeting  the  other  boarders." 

"  Of  course  I  shall,"  said  the  captain.  "  I 
like  folks,  always  have  Uked  'em.  I'll  be  on 
hand  at  the  time  appointed." 

As  Mrs.  Tippett  softly  closed  the  door  he 
stood  in  tho  middle  of  the  room  looking  about 
him,  his  lips  pursed  for  a  whistle  ;  he  breathed 
"  The  Girl  I  Left  Behind  Me,"  with  the  least 
possible  sound,  nodding  in  time. 

"  Wonder  how  it's  going  to  be,"  he  mused. 
"  This  is  the  beginning  of  it,  however  it  turns 
25 


CAFN  GID 

out.  I've  got  all  the  creature  comforts,  that's 
certain.  She's  a  pretty  little  woman,  Mrs.  Rose 
Tippett.  There's  something  grows  in  the  woods 
in  the  spring  that's  what  she  puts  me  in  mind 
of.  What's  the  name  of  it?  Kind  of  sways 
when  she  talks  to  you.  And  that  voice  of  hers 
certainly  is  sweet.  It  made  me  feel  as  if  mine 
were  aU  jagged  on  the  edges.  Well,  well  I 
Two  hours  and  over  before  dinner  time,  and 
I'm  used  to  twelve  o'clock.  I  shall  relish  food 
by  the  time  I  get  it.  Now  let's  see  how  much 
of  this  ornamental  dried  work  I  can  get  off  my 
clothes.  There's  a  ring  at  the  bell ;  maybe  my 
trunk's  come." 

The  captain  was  in  his  shirt-sleeves,  one  sus- 
pender slipped  from  its  place,  as  he  opened  his 
door  and  stepped  out  into  the  hall ;  but  as  he 
leaned  over  the  stair  rail  a  slight  sound  caused 
him  to  look  up,  and,  suddenly  conscious  of  his 
appearance  as  reflected  in  the  gaze  of  a  very 
sharp  pair  of  feminine  eyes,  he  beat  a  hasty  re- 
treat, closing  the  door  on  his  confusion. 

"  See  here,  Gid  Bold,"  he  said  sternly,  as  he 
waited  by  his  inner  door-knob,  listening  for  the 


CAFN  GID 

welcome  thump  on  the  stairs  which  came  at 
last,  "  I  reckon  you've  got  to  remember  where 
you  are.  You're  not  in  your  own  home  at 
Felling,  Vermont,  you're  in  Mrs.  Kose  Tippett's 
Select  Boarding-House.  Now  don't  you  forget 
it  again." 


27 


CHAPTER  III 

WITH  a  good  deal  of  trepidation  Captain 
Bold  made  his  toilet  for  his  first  dinner 
at  385  "Walnut  Street.  Before  it  was  com- 
pleted his  entire  wardrobe  was  spread  upon 
the  bed  and  he  had  viewed  each  separate 
article  with  a  disapproving  eye. 

"  I'm  no  dandy,"  said  the  captain  to  himself, 
"  but  there's  nothing  select  about  my  clothes. 
They  don't  seem  to  go  right  with  this  house 
and  all  its  fine  fixings.  Take  that  pepper  'n' 
salt  suit,  now.  Get  me  into  that  up  home  and 
Marilla  felt  as  if  I  was  'most  too  dressed  up 
for  anything  except  the  minister's  coming  to 
tea;  and  she  searched  me  so  with  her  eyes, 
28 


CAP'N  GID 

looking  for  spots,  after  a  meal,  that  I  never 
took  much  real  comfort  in  wearing  it.  But 
here !  put  me  in  that  suit  and  set  me  down  in 
one  of  those  handsome  chairs,  and  I'll  look  like 
an  old  Plymouth  Rock  strayed  in  from  the  hen- 
yard.  I  know  my  points ;  nobody  need  tell  me 
what  they  are.  I  know  that  a  man  of  my  size 
has  to  derive  most  of  his  advantages  of  appear- 
ance from  his  outfit ;  if  his  clothes  don't  assist 
him  he's  nowhere,  that  is  when  he  goes  among 
strangers.    My  black  suit  is  the  best  I  can  do." 

He  hung  everything  else  in  the  closet  and 
put  on  the  black  suit,  having  first  donned  a 
white  shirt.  The  shirt  had  a  plaited  bosom, 
and  there  was  something  curious  about  it,  to 
the  captain's  mind.  At  last  he  turned  sidewise 
to  get  a  different  view  of  himself,  and  hastily 
removed  his  waistcoat. 

"  I  never  saw  anything  to  beat  that,"  he  said, 
his  face  growing  crimson  as  he  looked  again  in 
the  mirror.  "  Marilla'd  been  ironing  her  own 
clothes,  and  when  I  told  her  about  coming  off 
she  was  so  upset  she  didn't  sense  what  she  was 
doing.  Ironed  every  one  of  those  plaits  stand- 
29 


CAP'N  GID 

ing  up  ridgewise,  as  I  live !  the  only  white  shirt 
I've  got  to  my  name  that  wasn't  too  much  worn 
to  bring.  Well,  sir,  what's  to  be  done  about  it  ? 
I  wonder  if  I  were  to  put " 

There  was  little  time  for  delay.  A  glance  at 
his  watch  showed  the  captain  that  dinner  was 
only  half  an  hour  distant.  Stepping  briskly 
over  to  the  chiffonier  to  the  drawers  of  which 
he  had  consigned  all  his  possessions  which  could 
not  well  be  hung  in  the  closet,  he  brought  from 
the  upper  drawer  two  large  silk  handkerchiefs, 
one  red,  the  other  plum-colored ;  these  he  un- 
folded and  tied  across  his  chest  in  hard  knots, 
making  each  handkerchief  cover  as  many  of  the 
upstart  plaits  as  could  be  pressed  under  its  folds. 

"  That  ought  to  do  something,"  he  said,  sur- 
veying himself  doubtfully.  "  'Twould  do  more 
if  silk  didn't  slip  so.  Now  for  a  necktie.  Better 
make  that  kind  of  cheerful,  seems  to  me,  when 
there  are  ladies  in  the  party.  Here's  the  one 
Asa  Dean  gave  me  Christmas ;  that's  a  tasty 
tie.  Those  rosebuds  on  a  blue  ground  make 
me  think  of  a  dressing  gown  grandsire  used  to 
wear  when  I  was  a  boy,  but  I  guess  they're  all 
30 


CAP'N  GID 

right.  Wonder  who  selected  it.  If  I  thought 
'twas  Henry  Gaynes  'twould  never  go  'round 
my  neck,  but  probably  'twas  that  meek  sister, 
his  wife.  Then,  when  I  get  off  these  silk  iron- 
ing-boards, that'll  look  first  rate." 

When  the  sound  of  a  Japanese  gong  reached 
the  captain's  ears,  his  fingers  were  engaged  in 
untying  the  knots  which  had  tightened  under 
their  strain  and  proved  unexpectedly  obstinate. 
He  pulled  and  picked  at  them  alternately ;  at 
last  the  red  one  allowed  itself  to  loosen  slightly 
and  its  knot  gave  way.  The  plum-colored 
handkerchief,  however,  seemed  possessed  of  the 
devil.  The  captain  was  growing  desperate 
when  there  came  a  tap  at  his  door. 

"  Come  in !  "  he  called,  and  turned  to  see  a 
rosy  Celtic  face  from  which  two  eyes  as  merry 
as  his  own  laughed  at  him,  and  to  hear  a  soft 
Irish  voice  say : 

"  Would  you  be  coming  to  dinner,  Captain 
Bowld  ?    'Tis  ready." 

"  For  the  love  of  peace,  girl,  come  here  and 
get  this  contrivance  off  me,"  said  the  captain. 
"  What's  your  name  ?  " 
31 


CAFN  GID 

"  Maggie  Shannon  is  me  name,"  said  the  girl 
as  she  stepped  close  to  him  and  began  a  vigor- 
ous attack  upon  the  knot.  "  Sure,  'tis  a  kind 
of  a  haarmess  you've  got  on,  Captain  Bowld. 
What  were  you  afther  doin'  to  yourself,  sir  ?  " 

"  Look  at  those  tucks,  girl,  and  don't  ask 
foolish  questions,"  came  the  answer  after  the 
captain  had  drawn  in  his  breath  to  make  his 
chest  as  narrow  as  possible,  and  between 
Maggie's  work  and  his  own  the  plum-colored 
handkerchief  at  last  succumbed.  "  I  believe  to 
my  soul  they  stand  up  worse  than  ever.  I'm  a 
pretty  sight  to  go  down-stairs  and  meet  a  parcel 
of  strange  folks ! " 

He  looked  ruefully  at  his  image  in  the  pier 
glass,  but  Maggie,  hands  on  her  hips,  stood 
surveying  him  with  a  pleased  smile. 

"Never  fear,"  she  said  with  a  bob  of  her 
head,  "  'tis  your  face  they'll  be  looking  at,  not 
your  shirt.  If  anny  one  gives  a  glance  to  that 
'twill  be  Miss  Kawson,  her  that  has  the  room 
above  you.  There's  nothing  escapes  her ;  she 
has  eyes  like  gimlets,  punching  here,  punching 
there ;  but  pay  no  heed  to  her.  To-morrow 
32 


CAP'N  GID 

morning  I'll  show  an  iron  to  the  front  o'  that 
shirt,  and  flatten  out  the  plaits.  Come  now, 
sir  ;  gazing  at  it  will  make  no  difference." 

Firmly  though  respectfully  Maggie  propelled 
him  out  of  his  own  room  and  followed  him 
along  the  hall  to  the  head  of  the  stairs. 

"  If  Mrs.  Hitchings  has  at  you  give  her  as 
good  as  she  sends,"  she  whispered,  and  with  an- 
other bob  of  her  head  she  left  him. 

The  captain  heard  her  feet  clattering  down  a 
flight  of  stairs  in  the  region  beyond  the  door 
through  which  she  had  vanished.  He  straight- 
ened himself,  drew  in  his  chin,  threw  out  his 
chest  and  descended  the  stairs.  His  ears  were 
assailed  by  a  feminine  voice  of  strident  quality, 
proclaiming  something  which  he  failed  to  catch 
but  which  evidently  stirred  up  contention,  as  a 
babel  of  dissent  followed. 

"  Sounds  a  good  deal  like  Town  Meeting," 
thought  the  captain,  and  the  remembrance  stiff- 
ened his  wavering  courage.  He  entered  the 
parlor  calmly  and  without  haste  and  bore  the 
introductions  which  followed  with  dignity  and 
confidence.  Four  women  and  three  men  there 
33 


CAFN  GID 

were,  beside  his  hostess,  who  performed  the  in- 
troductions, and  the  captain  looked  each  and 
every  one  of  them  straight  in  the  eye. 

It  was  not  a  severe  ordeal  for  a  man  who  had 
many  times  been  chairman  of  the  reception 
committee  for  Memorial  Day  visitors.  In  his 
official  capacity  the  captain  had  more  than  once 
received  and  presented  to  an  audience  the 
governor  of  his  native  state. 

"  Folks  are  only  folks,  no  matter  if  they  have 
on  precious  stones  and  all  manner  of  trappings," 
he  told  himself,  as  he  looked  from  the  green 
glitter  of  a  swaying  ornament  attached  to  the 
person  of  Mrs.  Damon  to  the  cold  sheen  of 
Mrs.  Hitchings'  gown.  "Don't  hide  the 
wrinkles,  nor  the  creases  in  their  necks  either," 
and  his  greeting  to  the  two  stout  women  was 
especially  cordial  as  he  felt  rather  sorry  for 
them. 

His  rampant  tucks  had  not  escaped  the  eyes 
of  Miss  Kawson;  he  knew  that,  but  smiled 
genially  at  her,  recognizing  them  as  the  eyes 
which  had  seen  him  in  his  disarray. 

"  Here's  a  pretty  piece  of  goods  ! "  he  thought 
34 


CAP'N  GID 

as  he  was  passed  on  to  a  slight,  fair-haired  girl, 
mentioned  as  Miss  Temple,  "  and  I'm  not  the 
only  one  to  know  it,"  as  tui'ning  he  saw  the  gaze 
of  a  pair  of  dark  eyes  riveted  on  Miss  Temple's 
charming  face. 

"  He's  all  gone  over  her,"  the  captain  told 
himself  with  glee,  as  after  a  brisk  hand-shake 
from  Mr.  Corcoran  and  a  limp  clasp  from  Mr. 
Farnham  he  met  the  dark  eyes  of  young  Sever- 
ance withdrawn  from  their  late  occupation  so 
hastily  that  they  seemed  still  to  hold  an  image 
of  rosy  cheeks  and  wavy  gold  hair.  "  By 
George,  there's  love-making  afoot,  and  I'm 
going  to  see  it !  " 

"  Shall  we  go  in  to  dinner  ?  "  suggested  Mrs. 
Tippett,  as  if  it  were  not  quite  within  her 
province  to  decide  the  matter. 

"  It  is  time — more  than  time,"  announced  a 
voice  which  the  captain  recognized  as  having 
aroused  opposition  just  before  his  entrance  ;  it 
was  the  voice  of  Mrs.  Hitchings,  who  now  pre- 
ceded Mrs.  Tippett  through  the  door  and  along 
the  hall  to  the  dining-room. 

The  captain  found  himself  assigned  to  a  seat 
35 


CAP'N  GID 

between  Miss  Kawson  and  little  Miss  Temple. 
The  delight  which  filled  him  at  being  next  to 
the  pretty  young  thing  at  his  left  was  tempered 
by  the  presence  of  his  neighbor  on  the  right, 
and  the  fact  that  the  massive  and  commanding 
Mrs.  Hitchings  occupied  the  seat  directly  op- 
posite. He  turned  deliberately  to  Miss  Temple 
with  his  second  spoonful  of  soup. 

"  li  you  see  me  getting  into  trouble  with  the 
silverware,  just  give  me  a  word,  young  lady," 
he  said  confidentially.  "I'm  left-handed,  ab- 
sent-minded and  otherwise  hampered  by  igno- 
rance, and  I'm  liable  to  make  mistakes.  I  shall 
depend  on  you  to  look  out  for  me,  now  and 
then." 

The  steady  gray  eyes  were  most  reassuring, 
the  captain  thought,  as  Miss  Temple  turned  to 
him,  half -smiling.  They  had  a  level,  tranquil 
gaze  which  surprised  as  much  as  it  pleased  him. 

"  Pretty  young  to  look  like  that,"  he  said  to 
himself.  "  The  way  you'd  feel  if  a  little  pinky- 
white  rosebud  were  to  take  the  responsibility  of 
the  whole  garden — blooms,  weeds  and  all." 

"  You  won't  have  a  bit  of  trouble,  I'm  sure," 
36 


CAP'N  GID 

said  the  frank  young  voice  that  matched  the 
gray  eyes.  "  Things  are  very  simple.  But  if 
you  ever  have  any  doubts,  just  watch  Mrs. 
Hitchings.  She  stands  for  the  Medes  and  Per- 
sians here." 

"  Does  she  now  ?  "  and  the  captain's  mouth 
twitched  in  response  to  the  demure  half-smile 
on  Miss  Temple's  lips.  "  Well,  that's  all  right, 
I  reckon,  if  Mrs.  Tippett  chooses  to  have  it  so." 

"  Chooses ! "  the  word  was  softly  spoken,  but 
the  captain  had  no  difficulty  in  catching  the 
tone,  or  the  pitying  glance  that  was  sent  to  the 
head  of  the  table  where  sat  Mrs.  Eose  Tippett 
with  the  lean  and  sallow  Mr.  Farnham  at  her 
right,  the  stout  and  hungry  Mrs.  Damon  at  her 
left. 

She  looked  sweet  and  gentle  and  very  tired. 
She  drooped  in  her  chair  as  she  cast  first  an 
anxious  glance  at  Mr.  Farnham,  who  seemed  to 
find  nothing  to  his  taste,  then  at  Mrs.  Damon 
whose  plate  was  heaped,  but  whose  watchful 
eye  never  allowed  the  waitress  to  pass  by  until 
a  liberal  toll  had  been  taken  of  whatever  was 
in  hand. 

37 


CAP'N  GID 

"  I  bet  she  ate  the  late  Damon  out  of  house 
and  home,  and  that  Hitchings  woman  bossed 
her  man  out  o'  the  world,"  thought  the  captain, 
but  on  the  instant  he  was  forced  to  readjust  his 
views  of  the  Damon  household. 

"  What  do  jou  hear  from  your  husband,  Mrs. 
Damon  ?  "  inquired  Miss  Rawson.  "  I  suppose 
you  will  feel  that  you  must  go  out  to  him 
another  fall.  It  must  be  very  lonely  for  him 
out  in  that  rough  mining  town." 

Mrs.  Damon's  gaze  was  lowered,  apparently 
fixed  on  the  gem  which  swung  just  above  her 
plate.  She  turned  it  carefully  so  that  it  caught 
and  held  a  gleam  from  the  chandelier  which 
hung  in  dim  splendor  over  the  table.  When 
she  had  adjusted  the  pendant  to  her  satisfaction 
she  raised  her  eyes  and  looked  across  at  Miss 
Rawson. 

"  Another  autumn  is  far  away,  my  dear  Miss 
Rawson,"  she  said  indifferently.  "No  one  of 
us  knows  where  she,  or  he,  may  be  by  that 
time." 

"  I'm  glad  you  added  the  '  he,' "  and  Mr. 
Famham  pushed  his  plate  from  him.  "  If  my 
38 


CAFN  GIB 

digestion  doesn't  improve  and  my  diet  has  to 
be  cut  closer  and  closer,  the  time  will  come 
when  I  shall  find  life  isn't  worth  living  ;  and  it 
may  come  soon.  Mrs.  Tippett,  will  you  kindly 
ring  for  Amanda  to  remove  this  lamb ;  the 

mint  sauce "    Mr.  Farnham  made  a  gesture 

which  clearly  indicated  his  distaste  for  what 
had  been  set  before  him,  and  pushed  back  his 
chair. 

"  If  you  will  excuse  me,  I  will  take  myself 
off  to  the  smoking-room,"  he  said,  and  rose. 

"But  I  thought  you  particularly  liked  the 
mint  sauce,"  said  Mrs.  Tippett,  dismay  vibrating 
through  her  soft  voice.  "  I'm  so  sorry  !  I  told 
Amanda  to  give  you  a  special  helping  of  it,  for 
you  eat  so  few  things.  Won't  you  stay  for  the 
salad  ?    It's  your " 

Mr.  Farnham  waved  away  the  mention  of 
salad,  and  left  the  room  hastily  as  if  the  very 
thought  of  it  had  been  too  much. 

"  He's  a  hateful  man,"  said  Miss  Temple's 

voice,  low  but  clear  at  the  captain's  elbow. 

"  Kobody,  not  even  an  archangel,  could  tell 

what  he'U  like  from  one  day  to  the  next.     Mrs. 

39 


CAFN  GID 

Tippett  is  a  sweet  thing,  and  she  tries  to  please 
him,  but  she  might  as  well  give  it  up.  Look 
at  her  now,  worrying  her  heart  out  over  that 
old  dyspeptic." 

The  captain  looked  as  bidden ;  indeed,  he 
had  not  waited  for  the  bidding.  Why  did 
not  some  one  of  the  others  speak,  he  wondered. 
They  were  eating  on  as  if  nothing  unpleasant 
had  occurred. 

"  The  trouble  with  him,  Mrs.  Tippett,"  said 
the  captain,  and  then  having  secured  her  atten- 
tion he  began  again,  "  trouble  with  him  is  he 
smokes  too  much.  I  can  see  that  right  away. 
Men  of  that  thin,  sallow  make-up  would  be 
better  off  if  they  never  touched  tobacco.  I'm 
something  of  a  doctor  myself,  and  I  know  the 
signs.  If  he  doesn't  use  common  sense  he'll 
get  his  stomach  all  out  of  commission." 

Mrs.  Hitchings  gave  a  deep,  dry  cough, 
patently  manufactured  to  meet  what  she  felt 
was  a  demand. 

"  What  is  going  on  in  the  financial  world  to- 
day, Mr.   Corcoran  ? "  she  asked,   bending  a 
compelling  gaze  on  her  right-hand  neighbor. 
40 


CAFN  GID 

The  captain  twisted  his  mouth  and  inserted  a 
finger  in  his  collar,  running  it  around  under  his 
chin  which  he  lifted  twice.  Then  for  the 
second  time  he  heard  the  low  clear  voice  at 
his  elbow. 

"May  I  trouble  you  for  the  salt,  Captain 
Bold?  Thank  you  so  much;"  and  as  he 
looked  into  the  gray  eyes,  the  lips  of  his 
neighbor  formed  another  sentence. 

"  Don't  let  her  scare  you,"  read  the  captain. 
"  Please  don't." 

"Scare  me,"  said  the  captain  in  a  low 
rumble,  meant  for  a  whisper ;  "  let  her  scare 
me!  Well,  I  guess  not.  You  just  wait  a 
minute  till  I  get  my  second  wind." 

But  the  talk  had  gone  so  far  afield  in  the 
required  minute  that  the  captain  sat  listening 
with  no  chance  to  put  in  his  valiant  words.  It 
seemed  to  him  that  he  had  much  to  learn  in 
order  to  make  himself  a  part  of  this  new  house- 
hold and  that  little  of  it  was  worth  learning. 

"  The  stock-market  ?  That's  a  pretty  subject 
for  ladies'  talk,"  he  thought  as  he  listened  to 
the  sharp  questions  put  to  Mr.  Corcoran  by 
41 


CAFN  GID 

Mrs.  Hitchings  and  Mrs.  Damon.  "And 
politics ! "  as  Miss  Rawson  shot  a  remark 
across  the  table  at  Mr.  Severance,  whom  it 
evidently  hit  in  a  sensitive  spot.  "And  they're 
all  so  glib." 

"  I  begin  to  feel  as  if  I  were  tongue-tied,"  he 
said,  turning  for  consolation  to  his  pretty  neigh- 
bor. "  How  does  it  happen  you  aren't  engag- 
ing in  these  conversations,  one  or  the  other  of 
them  ?  Mrs.  Tippett  looks  tired  out,  but  you 
haven't  that  excuse,"  and  the  merry  eyes  twin- 
kled at  her. 

"  Why,  it's  like  this,"  and  little  Miss  Temple 
gave  a  soft  laugh.  "  I  haven't  a  share  of  stock 
or  a  bond  to  my  name  :  all  I  know  about  is  sav- 
ings-banks, and  not  much  about  them.  And  as 
for  politics — sh  !  "  she  laid  her  finger  on  her 
lips,  and  shook  her  head  at  him.  "  Mrs.  Tip- 
pett and  I  are  weak  sisters — we  aren't  suf- 
fragists ;  the  other  three  are,  and  Mrs.  Hitch- 
ings and  Miss  Rawson  are  militant,  that  is, 
they're  ready  to  be.  Mrs.  Damon  hasn't 
quite  decided  whether  she'd  go  as  far  as  that." 

"  You  don't  mean  to  tell  me ! "  said  the  cap- 
42 


CAFN  GID 

tain.  "  To  think  I've  got  right  in  amongst  that 
kind  of  trouble  when  I  came  here  for  a  quiet 
time.     Will  they  try  to  draw  me  into  it  ?  " 

Before  Miss  Temple  could  respond  the  cap- 
tain heard  the  voice  of  his  other  neighbor  at 
his  ear,  and  turning  hastily  saw  that  Miss 
Kawson  was  looking  at  him  with  an  eager 
air. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  ma'am,"  said  the  captain. 
"  I'm  afraid  you've  asked  me  something  that  I 
didn't  hear." 

"  I'm  glad  it  was  only  that,"  boomed  Mrs. 
Hitchings  from  across  the  table.  "  So  many 
men  try  to  hedge  themselves  about,  and  decline 
to  express  any  opinion.  Ask  him  again,  Miss 
Rawson." 

"  I  asked  you,  Captain  Bold,  where  you  stand 
on  the  question  of  equal  suffrage  ?  "  and  again 
Miss  Rawson  waited  with  her  eager  air. 

"  Well  now,  as  to  that,"  the  captain  paused, 
and  his  eyes  sought  the  face  of  his  hostess  ;  a 
delicately  troubled  face  it  was  for  the  moment, 
slightly  flushed  and  with  lifted  eyebrows ;  he 
smiled  at  it,  reassuringly,  without  regard  to  on- 
43 


CAFN  GID 

lookers.  "  As  to  that,"  he  repeated,  "  I  can't 
exactly  say,  ma'am." 

"  Why  not  ? "  asked  Miss  Rawson  crisply. 
"  It  isn't  possible  that  the  burning  question  of 
the  day  has  not  been  discussed  in  your  home." 

The  captain  faced  her  challenging  gaze  with 
a  calmness  more  apparent  than  real.  It  was 
one  thing  to  take  the  floor  in  Felling,  Vermont, 
where  he  was  known  and  respected ;  quite  an- 
other to  take  it  here  where  he  was  yet  to  be 
weighed  and  measured,  and  that  by  standards 
for  which  he  had  no  precedent.  It  was,  how- 
ever, not  the  time  to  falter,  and  he  could  see 
that  little  hedging  would  be  allowed  by  his  in- 
quisitors.    He  might  temporize  for  a  moment. 

"  Well  no,  ma'am,"  he  said,  returning  Miss 
Rawson's  gaze  with  disarming  frankness. 
"  You  see  my  Cousin  Manila,  who  keeps  house 
for  me,  is  a  real  home  body  ;  of  course  she  reads 
our  local  sheet.  The  PeUmg  Banner ,  every  day, 
but  when  the  ladies  come  to  see  her  the  talk 
seems  to  be  mostly  connected  with  cooking 
receipts  or  dressmaking  or  what's  going  on  in 
town ;  that  is,  to  judge  from  the  scraps  I  hear. 
44 


CAFN  GID 

Generally  speaking,  I  clear  out  when  there's  a 
sewing  circle  on  hand,  or  any  such  work.  They 
don't  want  any  men  folks  around,  I  know  that." 

Long  before  the  captain  had  finished  this  in- 
nocent speech  he  knew  it  had  failed  to  serve  his 
purpose.  Miss  Eawson's  lips  opened  before  his 
own  were  fairly  closed. 

"  I  didn't  refer  to  your  house,  Captain  Bold," 
she  said  in  a  tone  which  brooked  no  trifling. 
"  I  referred  to  your  town.  Are  there  no  women 
of  public  spirit  in  Felling  ?  If  not,  it  is  time 
they  were  awakened.  I  will  send  your  cousin 
some  literature  at  once." 

"  She's  not  much  of  a  reader,  ma'am,"  began 
the  captain,  but  immediately  he  saw  that  jok- 
ing was  not  in  order,  and  subdued  the  twinkle 
in  his  eyes.  "  We've  had  one  woman  suffragist 
in  our  town,"  he  said  gravely,  "  but  we  haven't 
got  her  now." 

"  Ah  !  "  breathed  Mrs.  Hitchings,  across  the 
table,  and  at  his  side  Miss  Rawson  breathed  an- 
other thinner  but  equally  indignant  "  Ah  !  " 

"  A  case  of  persecution,  no  doubt,"  said  Mrs. 
Hitchings  in  her  deepest  tone. 
45 


CAFN  GID 

"  No,  ma'am,"  said  the  captain  respectfully, 
"  'twas  a  case  of  measles  ;  five  cases,  in  fact ;  the 
children  caught  'em  while  she  was  down  here 
attending  some  meetings,  and  their  father  was 
at  home  looking  after  them.  They  didn't  have 
'em  all  at  once,  but  one  after  another,  as  some- 
times happens;  the  whole  run  lasted  pretty 
nearly  three  months.  The  father  hadn't  watched 
'em  quite  as  close  as  a  woman  would,  and  they'd 
gone  about  wherever  they  pleased ;  the  youngest 
boy  came  pretty  near  dying,  he  was  so  sick ; 
they  struck  in  with  him." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  medsles  suflBced  to 
make  that  woman  change  her  belief  in  her  own 
sex  and  its  rights  ?  "  demanded  Mrs.  Hitchings, 
while  Miss  Rawson  breathed  sharply,  awaiting 
the  answer. 

"  Well,  I  wouldn't  put  it  that  way  exactly, 
ma'am,"  said  the  captain  apologetically.  "  No, 
that  wasn't  the  way  of  it.  As  I  heard  it,  she 
said  that  'twas  very  evident  to  her  no  man  was 
capable  of  doing  a  woman's  work,  and  as  no 
day  was  long  enough  for  a  woman  to  do  both  his 
and  her  own,  she  thought  on  the  whole  he'd 
46 


CAP'N  GID 

better  be  allowed  to  do  what  little  he  could  by 
himself." 

"  Say  now,  that  woman  has  the  right  idea," 
spluttered  Mr,  Corcoran  who  had  nearly  choked 
during  the  captain's  recital.  "  You  agree  with 
me,  don't  you.  Miss  Temple  ?  I  don't  need  to 
ask  Mrs.  Tippett.     I  know  her  opinion." 

"  Mrs.  Tippett's  opinion  is  not  yet  fully 
formed,"  said  Mrs.  Hitchings,  diverted  for  a 
moment  from  the  captain.  "  As  for  Miss 
Temple,  her  position  is  incomprehensible  to 
me.  One  would  naturally  suppose  that  as  a 
teacher  she  would  wish  some  breadth  of  view, 
some  idea  of  progress,  some " 

"Oh,  come,  Mrs.  Hitchings!"  said  young 
Severance,  the  blood  mounting  to  his  fore- 
head. "  That's  a  little  too  much,  you  know ! 
Why,  I  met  one  of  Miss  Temple's " 

"  Please — please  don't,  Mr.  Severance  ! "  the 
clear  young  voice  was  low,  but  decided.  "  I'd 
much  rather  you  wouldn't  try  to  help  me  out. 
It  isn't  a  bit  necessary." 

The  crimson  in  his  face  deepened  and  he 
seized  his  glass  of  water,  taking  a  long  draught. 
47 


CAFN  GID 

"Very  well,"  he  said  as  he  set  down  his 
glass,  but  although  his  tone  was  submissive 
enough  the  captain  smiled,  noting  the  angle  at 
which  the  firm  young  jaw  was  held. 

"  She  won't  be  able  to  shut  him  up  that  way 
many  times,  not  if  I'm  any  judge,"  and  the 
captain  hugged  the  thought.  "  Looks  pretty 
sulky  over  it  now.  He'd  like  to  draw  his 
sword  and  slash  that  Hitchings  woman  into 
ribbons ;  that's  the  way  he's  feeling  now,  I  can 
tell  by  the  cut  of  his  jib." 

As  the  company  left  the  table  young  Sever- 
ance veered  from  his  direct  course  to  the  door 
to  intercept  Miss  Temple. 

"  Could  you — couldn't  you  go  with  me  to  see 
*  As  You  Like  It '  to-night  ?  "  he  asked  the  girl. 
"  It's  my  turn  to  have  the  seats,  and  I'd — I'd 
like  your  help  in  making  my  criticism  on  Miss 
Yemon's  *  Rosalind.'  I'll  have  to  write  as  dis- 
criminatingly as  Gregory  does,  or  they'll  give 
my  chance  to  that  young  Stimson  who's  just 
come  on  the  paper.  He  has  a  sister,  a  corking 
girl  they  say,  and  last  week  when  I  was  away 
he  had  the  tickets  and  wrote  a  mighty  clever 
48 


CAFN  GID 

notice  of  *  The  Strugglers.'    Can't  you  go  and 
help  me  out  ?  " 

A  little  smile  ran  across  the  girl's  face  before 
she  answered.    Then  she  shook  her  head,  slowly. 

"  I  can't,"  she  said.  "  Examination  papers 
are  my  doom  to-night.  It's  too  bad  I'm  so 
valuable  in  two  directions.  Can't  you" — she 
hesitated,  and  again  the  little  smile  ran  across 
her  face — "  if  you  don't  know  a  corking  girl, 
and  can't  get  me,  why  don't  you  ask  our  new 
boarder?"  she  half  whispered.  "You'd  get 
some  fresh  ideas  about  Kosalind,  unless  I'm 
very  much  mistaken.  And — I  like  him,  don't 
you  ?  " 

With  the  gray  eyes  raised  to  his,  young 
Severance  was  quite  prepared  to  like  every- 
thing and  everybody. 

"  I'll  do  it,"  he  said.  "  And — may  I  tell  you 
about  it  to-morrow  evening  ?  That's  my  free 
night,  you  know.  It  can't  be  examination 
papers  again ;  don't  tell  me  anything  so  unfair." 

"  Oh,  no,  it  isn't  examination  papers,"  said 
Miss    Temple    demurely.     "It's   the    Parent- 
Teachers'  Association." 
49 


CAP'N  GED 

"  Where  does  it  meet  ?  "  he  demanded,  "  and 
how  long  does  it  last  ?  I  shall  take  you  to  it, 
and  while  it  is  in  session  I  shall  play  billiards 
at  the  Foley  House,  and  if  you  don't  say  the 
meeting  will  be  over  in  an  hour  and  a  half  at 
the  outside,  I  shall  hire  a  messenger  boy  to 
summon  you  with  a  telegram  which  I  shall 
write.     So  now  you  know  what  to  look  for." 

"  Dear  me,"  murmured  Miss  Temple  as  she 
stepped  out  into  the  hall  and  turned  toward 
the  stairs.  "  What  a  very  determined  young 
man  you  are." 

"That's  nothing  to  what  I  can  be  if  I'm 
driven  to  it,"  said  Jack  Severance,  nodding 
his  head  at  her.     "You  needn't  laugh!" 

And  then,  inconsequently,  he  laughed  with 
her. 


THE  smoking-room  was  not  large,  but  it 
had  the  advantage  of  being  shut  off  from 
the  hall  by  heavy  sliding  doors.  As  Mr.  Cor- 
coran opened  these  doors  and  ushered  Captain 
Bold  into  the  room,  Mr.  Farnham  hastily  pushed 
up  both  windovsrs  and  the  heavy  blue  air  in 
which  he  had  been  sitting  moved  slowly  out 
into  the  street. 

"  Man  alive,  you're  killing  yourself,  that's 
what  you're  doing  !  "  cried  the  captain.  "  What 
d'you  think  lungs  are  made  of  that  they  can 
take  in  such  an  atmosphere  as  you've  been 
sitting  in  and  not  rebel?  'Tis  more  than 
likely  this  is  the  whole  root  of  the  trouble 
51 


CAFN  GID 

with  your  stomach.  Do  you  try  this  every 
evening  ?  " 

Mr.  Famham's  sallow  face  was  slightly 
tinged  with  green  and  the  look  he  turned  on 
this  unwelcome  questioner  was  a  sour  one. 

"  I  seldom  have  the  opportunity,"  he  said. 
"  The  other  two  gentlemen  who  are  members 
of  our  delightful  household  are  fresh-air  cranks. 
It  seemed  to  me  this  evening  that  I  might  grant 
myself  the  indulgence  of  a  few  moments'  smoke 
with  the  mercury  at  a  decent  height.  It  will 
run  down  fast  enough,  you'll  find.  I  wiU 
leave  you  to  enjoy  its  rapid  descent  without 
the  incubus  of  my  society." 

"  "Why,  see  here,"  cried  the  captain,  distressed 
at  the  result  of  his  words,  "  you're  taking  it  all 

wrong!    You Look  here,  does  he  often 

go  off  at  half-cock  like  that  ?  "  he  demanded  of 
the  broker,  as  the  doors  were  sharply  closed  be- 
hind Mr.  Famham's  departing  figure.      "  I 

Why,  he  acted  as  if  I'd  insulted  him,  sir.  I 
reckon  I'd  better  go  after  him." 

"  And  I  '  reckon '  you'd  better  stay  exactly 
where  you  are,"  counseled  Mr.  Corcoran,  as  he 
52 


CAFN  GID 

lighted  his  cigar  and  laid  his  case  open  on  the 
table.  "  Help  yourself  to  one  of  those  cigars, 
and  tell  me  how  you  like  it.  It's  a  new  brand 
I'm  trying  out.  Take  that  armchair  and  make 
yourself  comfortable;  don't  worry  your  head 
over  that  old  dyspeptic  who's  had  the  sense 
to  remove  himself.  Going  to  like  our  little 
town  ?  " 

"  I  spoke  too  quickly,  as  I  often  do,"  said  the 
captain  regretfully.  He  turned  to  the  table 
and  lifting  the  cigar  case  surveyed  it  with  some 
doubt.  "I'm  more  used  to  a  pipe,"  he  ad- 
mitted, "and  the  barn  is  the  only  place  Ma- 
nila lets  me  smoke  it,  but  I'd  like  to  try  one  of 
these,  and  wiU.  This  certainly  is  an  easy  chair. 
Mrs.  Tippett's  provided  everything  for  com- 
fort, hasn't  she  ?  " 

Mr.  Corcoran  took  his  cigar  from  his  mouth 
and  sent  a  ring  of  smoke  curling  across  the 
room. 

"  She's  a  sweet  little  woman,"  he  said  medi- 
tatively, "  but  she  never  was  cut  out  for  a 
boarding-house  mistress.  She  doesn't  know 
how  to  stand  out  against  Grenadier  Hitchings ; 
63 


CAP'N  GID 

you  noticed  her,  of  course.  She  keeps  that 
mighty  brain  of  hers  at  Mrs.  Tippett's  disposal ; 
and  Miss  Rawson,  the  one  next  you  with  eyes 
that  could  bore  right  through  cast  iron,  pokes 
and  pries  and  interferes  from  morning  till 
night.  Poor  little  Mrs.  Tippett  is  Southern 
bom,  bred  to  hospitality  and  gentleness  and 
pleasure.  The  first  is  eating  up  her  possible 
profits,  the  second  is  making  her  easy  game  for 
those  who  are  ready  to  take  advantage  of  her, 
and  she  doesn't  get  any  of  the  third. 

"She  was  married  right  out  of  the  school- 
room to  a  smooth  rascal,  the  black  sheep  of  a 
fine  family.  He  kept  fairly  straight  while  her 
father  Uved,  but  when  he  died  Tippett  used 
up  all  her  money,  ill-treated  her  and  finally 
cleared  out.  I've  been  told  on  good  authority 
that  he  died  in  a  sanitorium  two  or  three  years 
ago,  a  while  before  she  came  North,  But  Miss 
Rawson  seems  to  have  doubts  on  that  point. 
She's  thrown  out  several  hints  to  me  on  stair 
landings  and  other  likely  spots  for  imparting 
dark  secrets,  but  I've  always  got  away  from 
her  as  soon  as  I  could,  and  I've  never  told  her 
54 


CAFN  GID 

that  I  know  a  man  who  came  from  Mrs.  Tip- 
pett's  home  town.  That  Rawson  has  too  much 
time  on  her  hands ;  that's  what  plays  the  deuce 
with  people — Leisure  !  Look  at  Farnham ; 
would  he  have  dyspepsia- if  he  had  to  hike 
around  the  way  I  do  and  always  have  from  a 
boy  ?  Not  much,  he  wouldn't.  How  do  you 
like  that  cigar  ?  " 

In  Felling,  Vermont,  deliberation  in  speech 
was  counted  a  sign  of  wisdom,  and  headlong 
utterance  was  discouraged.  "  Catch  your  breath 
and  speak  slow  so  I  can  understand  what  you're 
saying,"  the  children  heard  again  and  again. 
The  captain  himself,  who  had  never  quite  out- 
grown his  youthful  impetuosity,  was  neverthe- 
less incapable  of  such  leaping  from  point  to 
point  as  his  companion  had  just  exhibited. 

"  See  here,"  he  said  with  a  slowness  which 
would  have  amazed  his  Cousin  Marilla,  "  how 
d'you  expect  anybody's  going  to  get  in  a  word 
edgewise  ?  You  just  bear  in  mind  that  I  come 
from  up  state  in  Vermont.  I  haven't  even  dared 
take  time  to  bite  off  the  end  of  this  cigar  for 
fear  I'd  lose  the  thread  of  your  discourse.  If 
55 


CAFN  GID 

there  was  anything  particular  you  wanted  me 
to  answer  you'll  have  to  go  back  to  the  begin- 
ning and  start  all  over  again.  No  offense,  you 
understand,"  and  the  captain's  eyes  twinkled. 

"  I  expect  I  do  hit  it  off  pretty  lively,"  said 
Mr.  Corcoran  grinning;  "comes  of  the  Stock 
Exchange,  and  my  business  in  general.  May 
have  noticed  that  I  clip  my  words.  Little  old 
aunt  I  go  to  see  every  week  says  I  do;  says  I'm 
getting  worse  and  worse  at  it.  She's  one  of  the 
old  school ;  pro-nounces  ev-er-y  syl-la-ble — about 
like  that.  Wouldn't  do  for  me.  But  I  like  to 
hear  her." 

"Now  look  here,"  the  captain  leaned  for- 
ward ;  "  there's  something  I've  always  wanted 
to  know.  "What's  the  need  of  all  this  hurry  in 
your  business?  If  every  one  of  you  should 
agree  to  go  slow,  why  wouldn't  it  work  out  all 
right  ?  " 

"  Go  slow ! "  echoed  the  broker.  "  Go  slow  ! 
on  the  Stock  Exchange  !  Well,  I  guess  you'd 
find  yourself  at  the  bottom  of  the  heap  inside 
of  twenty-four  hours,  and  fixed  so  you  couldn't 
move  to  get  anywhere  else,  what's  more." 
56 


CAP'N  GID 

"  I  was  saying,  how  would  it  be  if  everybody 
went  a  mite  slower,"  stated  the  captain  pa- 
tiently ;  "  if  they  all  agreed  to,  I  mean." 

The  broker  stared  at  him,  then  again  he 
grinned. 

"Say,  you  had  too  much  dinner  or  some- 
thing," he  offered.  "You  ought  to  have 
moved  'round  a  bit  instead  of  coming  in  here.- 
Hullo,  Severance,  our  new  boarder  would  like 
to  have  the  Stock  Exchange  conducted  on  a 
different  plan.  He'd  like  to  have  bids  limited 
to  about  one  a  minute.  How  does  that  strike 
you?" 

"  Excellent  idea,"  said  the  young  man  who 
had  just  entered  the  smoking-room.  "  I'd  like 
to  talk  it  over  with  you,  Captain  Bold,  on  the 
way  to  the  theatre.  I  have  tickets  for  *As 
You  Like  It,'  and  Miss — er — it  has  been  sug- 
gested that  perhaps  you  would  favor  me  with 
your  company," 

"I'd  like  to  go  first-rate,"  said  the  captain 

briskly,     "  The  drama  is  one  of  the  things  I've 

planned  to  study  somewhat  during  my  stay  in 

the  city,  so  that  when  I  go  home  I  can  help 

5T 


CAP'N  GID 

out  the  Pelling  Dramatic  League  by  a  few  sug- 
gestions— that  is  if  they're  willing  to  take 
them.  I'd  like  to  be  able  to  tell  Potter  Greene 
of  some  other  attitudes  he  could  strike  and 
Nellie  Dakin  wants  to  introduce  some  new 
songs  into  her  parts.  She's  our  leading  lady, 
and  has  a  sweet  pretty  voice  that  works  into 
most  every  play  by  a  little  altering  here  and 
there." 

"  You  are  evidently  the  very  person  who 
ought  to  go  with  me  to-night,"  said  young 
Severance,  "  and  it  is  time  we  started,  a  little 
more  than  time  if  anything." 

"  I'll  be  with  you  in  a  minute,"  said  the 
captain,  bounding  up  the  stairs.  "  I'm  used  to 
hurrying,  being  a  member  of  the  fire-company. 
I " 

For  a  moment  he  stopped  and  then,  bound- 
ing on  again,  he  reached  the  head  of  the  stairs 
and  ran  along  the  hall  to  his  own  door.  As  he 
opened  it  he  was  hailed  from  above  by  the 
voice  of  Miss  Rawson. 

"  Is  there  a  fire  ? "  she  cried.     "  I'm  sure 

that's  what  you  said.    Will  you  please " 

58 


CAP'N  GID 

The  captain  flung  open  his  door  and  from  the 
chair  nearest  it  seized  the  hat  and  coat  which 
he  had  deposited  there  on  his  first  entrance  into 
the  room.  Without  waiting  for  Miss  Rawson 
to  complete  her  sentence  he  roared  a  hearty 
answer  as  he  gathered  up  his  belongings. 

"  There's  nothing  the  matter  here,  ma'am," 
he  called.     "  I  was  speaking  of  my  home." 

"And  have  you  heard  there's  a  fire  up  in 
Felling?  Have  you  received  a  telegram?" 
cried  Miss  Rawson,  and  as  the  captain  emerged 
from  his  room  he  saw  that  she  had  come  half- 
way down  the  stairs. 

"  No,  ma'am,  nothing  of  the  sort,"  he  hastily 
vouchsafed  her  as  he  hurried  along  the  hall, 
one  arm  inserted  in  its  coat  sleeve  while  the 
other  searched  frantically  for  its  proper  open- 
ing. "You'll  have  to  excuse  me.  I'm  in  a 
great  rush." 

Before  he  had  reached  the  lower  hall  Miss 
Rawson  had  descended  to  the  second  story  and 
with  an  imperative  wave  of  her  hand  over  the 
stair  railing  she  summoned  Mr.  Severance  from 
his  stand  by  the  front  door. 
59 


CAFN  GID 

"I  know  something  is  wrong,"  she  said. 
"  "Where  is  the  fire,  Mr.  Severance  ?  I  must 
know  at  once,  for  I  have  valuable  papers. 
I  am  perfectly  calm.  Is  it  in  the  base- 
ment ?  " 

"  There  is  no  fire,  so  far  as  I  know,"  said 
Jack  Severance.  "Keady,  captain?  That's 
good,"  and  the  door  closed  behind  them  with 
something  very  near  a  slam. 

"  Banged  it  a  little,  didn't  you  ? "  inquired 
the  captain  as  they  set  off  at  a  brisk  pace. 
"  Does  that  woman  live  on  the  stairs  ?  That 
seems  to  be  where  she  spends  considerable  time, 
anyway." 

"  She's  the  sort  I  can't  stand,"  said  young 
Severance.  "  Hanging  around  to  catch  a  word 
here  and  a  look  there,  piecing  things  together, 
and  making  up  a  lot  more  to  fill  out.  Old  cat ! 
Tell  me  if  I'm  walking  too  fast  for  you,  captain. 
We  have  time  enough  now  we're  clear  of  the 
house." 

"  I  can  clip  it  along  with  the  spryest  of 
them,"  said  the  captain.  "  You  needn't  worry 
about  me.  But  look  here,"  and  he  stole  a 
60 


CAFN  GID 

quick,  sidelong  glance  up  at  his  tall  companion's 
face,  "  aren't  you  'most  too  hard  on  Miss  Kaw- 
son  ?  Isn't  she  kind  of  lonely,  and  just  trying 
to  fill  up  with  other  people's  stories,  so  long  as 
she  hasn't  any  of  her  own  ?  " 

'"  She  fills  up  all  right,"  said  the  young  ihan. 
"  Oh,  well,  let's  forget  her.  Nice  night,  isn't 
it  ?  You  can't  see  quite  as  much  sky  at  once 
here  as  up  in  your  home,  I  suppose,  but  it's 
pretty,  all  the  same.  See  that  patch  in  be- 
tween those  two  chimneys ;  that's  thick  enough 
with  stars,  isn't  it,?  " 

"  By  George,  there's  the  Dipper !  "  cried  the 
captain.  •'  Now  I've  got  my  bearings,  and  know 
where  I  am.  I've  been  all  turned  around  ever 
since  I  got  to  the  house  this  afternoon.  If  I'd 
walked  from  the  depot  I'd  have  been  all  right, 
but  the  man  that  drove  the  cab  wanted  to  show 
me  some  new  buildings,  and  he  took  a  round- 
about course.  "Well,  well,  I'm  glad  enough  to 
see  the  Dipper.     I  feel  at  home  now." 

"  So  you  rode  with  the  cab-driver,"  said 
young  Severance.  "  Good  enough.  I  hope  Miss 
Rawson  saw  you," 

61 


CAFN  GIB 

"  Now  that  I  think  of  it,  I'll  wager  she  did,'* 
chuckled  the  captain ;  "  for  there  was  somebody 
peeking  out  between  the  curtains  of  the  front 
room  on  the  third  story.  That's  the  room 
over  mine,  sure  enough.  Why,  that's  the  same 
trick  they  play  up  in  Felling,  when  company's 
expected." 

"  You'll  find  there  are  more  tricks  than  one 
common  to  the  city  and  country,"  laughed  the 
young  man.  "  Have  you  ever  seen  a  Shake- 
speare play  well  acted,  captain  ?  Because  that's 
what  you'll  see  to-night." 

"  I've  never  seen  one  acted  any  way,  well  or 
not,"  said  the  captain.  "  Up  in  Felling  there's 
one  of  our  summer  residents,  Mrs.  Gorham- 
Watts — spelled  with  a  hyphen,  you  understand 
— well,  she  has  suggested  more  than  half  a 
dozen  times  to  the  Dramatic  League  that  they 
should  tackle  one  of  Shakespeare's  plays — 
'Hamlet.'  She  claimed  it  would  give  great 
scope  for  the  town  talent,  but  Nellie  Dakin  de- 
clared she  wouldn't  play  Ophelia  for  anybody. 
She  said  Ophelia  was  crossed  in  love  and  went 
crazy,  and  for  her  part  she  had  no  patience  with 
62 


CAFN  GID 

such  goings  on.  So  there  we  were ;  Nellie's  our 
leading  lady,  and  we  had  to  give  it  up." 

"  Silly  thing  !  "  laughed  young  Severance. 
"  Her  own  head  needs  looking  after,  I  should 
say." 

"  Well  now,  there's  some  excuse  for  her,"  said 
the  captain.  "  You  see  everybody  thought  she 
liked  the  young  man  who  married  her  cousin ; 
he  went  'round  with  Nellie  for  a  couple  of  years 
and  our  folks  thought  they'd  make  a  match  of 
it,  till  the  cousin  came  on  a  visit,  with  one  of 
those  floppy  embroidered  hats — pink,  hers  was. 
Well,  sir,  after  she'd  looked  up  at  that  young 
man  from  under  the  brim  of  her  hat  just  once, 
Nellie's  chance  was  nowhere.  And  she  did  lose 
flesh,  there's  no  denying  it.  So  you  can  see 
why  she'd  be  sensitive  about  taking  such  a  part 
as  Ophelia.  Why,  are  we  here  already  ?  This 
isn't  any  part  of  a  walk  !  And  I  was  going  to 
tell  you  about  the  Felling  Fire  Company  and 
how  I'd  come  off  without  giving  them  any 
notice,  and  I'm  supposed  to  be  chief.  I'U  have 
to  leave  that  for  the  walk  home." 

But  on  the  way  home  Captain  Bold  had  so 
63 


CAFN  GID 

much  to  say  about  "  As  You  Like  It "  that  the 
matter  of  the  Felling  Fire  Company  was  not 
even  mentioned.  In  the  theatre  he  had  been 
silent  most  of  the  time,  at  intermissions  wait- 
ing impatiently  for  the  next  act;  breathing 
hard  at  exciting  moments  during  the  play  and 
clapping  till  the  palms  of  his  hands  tingled. 

"  Those  two,  Rosalind  and  Celia,  are  as  nice 
girls  as  you'd  want  to  see,"  he  said  at  the  end  of 
the  first  act.  "  Just  as  nice  as  they  can  be,  both 
of  them.  Yes,  sir,  there's  mighty  little  choice 
between  'em,  now  is  there  ?  " 

Later  on  he  slightly  modified  his  views  and 
again  turned  to  his  companion. 

"  Two  nice  girls  as  ever  were,"  he  said,  "  but 
that  Rosalind's  the  leader.  She  has  more  go  to 
her  than  Celia  when  you  come  to  sift  it.  Celia's 
more  of  a  clinging  vine — but  they're  a  mighty 
nice  pair." 

On  the  way  home  Jack  Severance  drew  from 
his  companion  various  comments  on  the  r^t  of 
the  company. 

"They  were  all  good,  of  course,"  said  the 
captain.  "I  shouldn't  dare  criticize  them.  I 
64 


CAFN  GID 

must  say  I  didn't  think  much  of  the  way  Orlando 
kept  one  eye  on  the  audience ;  made  it  seem  as 
if  he  was  thinking  all  the  time,  '  This  is  nothing 
but  a  play  ;  let's  see  how  they  like  the  way  I'm 
doing  my  part.'  Now  our  Dramatic  Leaguers 
know  better  than  that.  The  Duke  was  good, 
although  it  did  ^em  to  me  he  needn't  have 
moved  around  quite  so  much ;  he  wouldn't  in 
real  life.  Touchstone  suited  me  best,  next  to 
the  two  girls.  I  see  they're  going  to  give  sev- 
eral more  Shakespeare  plays  in  the  next  few 
weeks  and  I  mean  to  see  them  all.  You've  in- 
troduced me  to  a  great  pleasure,  young  man, 
and  I  thank  you." 


65 


CHAPTER  V 

THAT  night  the  dreams  of  Captain  Bold 
were  wild  and  adventurous  beyond  any 
other  dreams  that  had  visited  him  for  many 
years.  He  woke  several  times  and  sat  up,  lis- 
tening to  the  ceaseless  murmur  of  the  city. 

"  Never  stops  for  a  minute,  day  or  night,"  he 
said  each  time  as  he  lay  down  again  ;  "  up  home 
if  I  heard  that  old  blind  that  always  fetches 
loose  about  this  time  of  year,  it's  the  most  I'd 
hear.  Well — it  takes  all  kinds  of  places  to 
make  up  the  world,  just  as  it  takes  all  kinds  of 
folks." 

When  morning  had  fairly  come  he  lay  awake, 
wondering  what  he  should  do  with  the  day  be- 
fore him,  and  all  the  days  after  it.  He  had 
not  made  any  definite  plan  as  to  the  length  of 
his  stay  or  what  measure  of  urging  from  the 
citizens  of  PeUing  would  be  sufficient  to  call 
66 


CAFN  GID 

him  home.  On  only  one  thing  he  had  deter- 
mined ;  his  visit  to  the  city,  begun  in  haste 
and  wrath,  must  be  made  to  justify  itself  in 
some  way. 

"  There  are  things  I  can  learn,  anyhow,"  he 
told  himself,  rather  wistfully ;  "  and  there  are 
things  I  can  do,  too,  plenty  of  them ;  and  I'll 
make  a  friend  or  two,  maybe.  That  pretty 
little  teacher,  and  the  young  man  who's  in 
love  with  her  ;  she  told  him  to  take  me  to  the 
play;  don't  you  suppose  I  knew  that?  And 
then  there's  Mrs.  Tippett.  I'd  like  to  be 
friends  with  her.  She  needs  somebody  to 
look  after  her;  she  and  Miss  Temple  both 
ought  to  be  looked  after,  and  not  allowed  to 
get  tired  out.  This  big  house  is  an  awful  care 
for  a  little  woman  ;  she  hasn't  color  enough  in 
her  cheeks.  I'll  wager  she  doesn't  get  out- 
doors enough." 

Not  long  after  breakfast  the  captain  set  out 
for  a  walk  and  was  overtaken  by  Jack  Sever- 
ance. 

"  "Well,  how  does  this  happen  ?  "  asked  the 
captain,  much  pleased.  "Miss  Temple  and  I 
67 


CAP'N  GID 

had  breakfast  together,  and  I  concluded  you'd 
had  yours  earlier  and  gone  to  work.  I've  been 
looking  around  in  my  room,  but  the  chamber- 
maid came  in  to  tidy  up,  so  I  stepped  down.  I 
met  Miss  Kawson  in  the  hall,  but  we  only 
passed  the  time  of  day,  for  I  put  on  the  ap- 
pearance of  being  in  great  haste ;  and  now  I 
haven't  one  single  thing  to  do,"  and  the  cap- 
tain looked  hopefully  at  his  new  friend.  "  Are 
you  in  the  same  case  ?  " 

"No,  it's  about  the  hour  I'm  due  at  the 
office,"  said  young  Severance.  "  They'U  give 
me  some  kind  of  assignment,  but  I  don't  know 
what." 

He  hesitated,  looking  down  at  the  captain, 
then  he  said,  rather  slowly  : 

"  Would  you  like  to  go  along  with  me,  if  it's 
any  place  where  I  could  take  you  ?  " 

The  captain  smiled  and  shook  his  head.  He 
had  noticed  both  the  hesitation  and  the  slow 
speech,  nevertheless  he  was  grateful. 

"  Not  this  morning,  thank  you,"  he  answered 
cheerfully.  "I  can  find  my  way  around  in 
most  places,  and  if  I  get  lost  there  will  be 
68 


CAFN  GID 

plenty  of  people  to  set  me  on  the  right  track. 
First  of  all  I  must  find  a  stationer's  shop. 
Cousin  Marilla  would  remember  it  against  me 
the  rest  of  her  life  if  I  didn't  write  her  to-day, 
so  she  can  tell  the  neighbors  I'm  safe  and  sound." 

"  I'll  start  you  for  the  stationer's,"  said  Jack 
Severance  so  promptly  that  the  captain  laughed. 

"  Took  a  load  off  your  mind,  didn't  I  ?  "  he 
said.  "  I  don't  believe  your  little  friend  meant 
to  have  you  tow  me  right  along  all  the  time. 
Land  o'  love,  don't  you  suppose  I  see  how  'tis 
with  you  ?  Don't  waste  your  time  playing  at 
cross-purposes,"  he  added,  suddenly  grave. 
"  Don't  let  that  pretty  child  get  all  tired 
out  and  a  line  between  her  eyebrows  ;  make  a 
home,  no  matter  how  small,  and  put  her  in  it. 
She's  one  that's  meant  for  a  home." 

"  See    here.  Captain    Bold,"   blurted    Jack 

Severance,  "  you  have  no — er "  he  looked 

at  his  companion  with  indignation  which  less- 
ened as  the  blue  eyes  met  his  own. 

"  I  shouldn't  have  spoken,"  said  the  captain 
quietly.  "  I  beg  your  pardon.  I've  had  no 
personal  experience  in  matters  of  this  kind,  but 
69 


CAFN  GID 

I've  seen  years  slip  by  and  folks  grow  old  wait- 
ing, and " 

"  It  isn't  any  case  of  her  waiting,"  inter- 
rupted   Jack    Severance.    "  It's You've 

got  it  all  wrong !  " 

The  captain  held  out  his  hand  with  his  dis- 
arming smile. 

"  You'll  excuse  me,  I  know,"  he  said.  "  And 
don't  you  let  me  keep  you  a  minute  more.  This 
may  be  the  very  day  appointed  for  you  to  show 
how  weU  fitted  you  are  to  be  head  of  a  house- 
hold. I  see  the  stationer's  ahead.  Thank  you 
and  good-bye." 

"  What  in  the  world  made  me  answer  him  ?  " 
fumed  young  Severance  as  he  went  his  way. 
"  He's  all  right,  but  why  didn't  I  hold  my 
tongue  and  let  him  talk  on,  ass  that  I  am ! 
He's  a  good  sort,  but  I  needn't  have  turned 
myself  inside  out  for  his  inspection." 

Meanwhile  Captain  Bold  with  a  smile  linger- 
ing on  his  face  walked  slowly  along  toward  the 
stationer's.  Just  before  he  reached  it  he  saw  a 
flight  of  steps  which  led  to  a  little  basement 
shop,  the  window  of  which  was  filled  with  an 
70 


CAP'N  GID 

assortment  of  toys,  picture  books,  neck-wear, 
ribbons  and  veils,  and  bore  in  gold  letters  the 
sign :  "  Miss  Letty's  Thread  and  Needle  Shop." 

The  captain  stopped  and  read  the  sign  twice, 
aloud,  the  smile  on  his  face  broadening. 

"  Sounds  kind  of  homey,  doesn't  it  ?  "  he  said 
to  a  little  girl  who  had  paused  beside  him  and 
was  searching  the  window  with  eager  eyes. 
She  had  a  charming,  dimpled  face  and  spoke 
with  an  occasional  lisp. 

"It'th  a  lovely  place,"  she  confided  to  the 
captain.  "  My  mother  buyth  all  her  thread  and 
thingth  here.  Mith  Letty  keepth  candy  too. 
When  she  hath  peanut  candy  there'th  a  placard 
in  the  window.  It'th  perfectly  tkplendid  candy. " 

"  Bless  my  heart,  let's  go  down  and  see  if 
there  isn't  some  to-day,"  said  the  captain. 
"  Miss  Letty  might  have  forgotten  the  placard 
for  once,  or  the  candy  may  have  just  arrived. 
She  may  be  opening  the  box  this  very  minute. 
You  and  I  might  be  the  first  to  get  it." 

"  Let'th  hurry  !  "  cried  the  little  girl  and  clat- 
tered down  the  steps,  closely  followed  by  the 
captain. 

71 


CAI^  GID 

A  bell  tinkled  over  their  heads  as  they  opened 
the  door  and  entered  the  shop  ;  at  its  sound  an 
elderly  woman,  tall  and  thin,  with  a  gentle  face 
and  large,  short-sighted  eyes  came  toward  them 
from  the  back  of  the  shop,  first  carefully  put- 
ting a  strip  of  paper  in  the  book  she  had  been 
reading  which  it  seemed  to  the  captain  she 
closed  with  reluctance.  Her  greeting,  however, 
was  cordial.  The  little  girl  was  evidently  a 
well-known  customer. 

"  What  can  I  do  for  you  this  morning,  sir  ?  " 
she  asked  courteously,  "  or  have  you  just  come 
with  Peggy  to  see  the  toys?  The  peanut 
candy  has  not  come  to-day,  Peggy.  I'm  sorry 
if  you  were  counting  on  it." 

"  I'm  thorry,  too,"  said  the  little  girl  frankly. 
"But — oh,  Mith  Letty,  might  I  look  at  the 
thquirrel  once  more  ?  " 

"  Surely  you  may,"  assented  Miss  Letty. 
"Perhaps  your  uncle  would  know  of  a  pur- 
chaser for  it," 

Peggy  turned,  regarding  the  captain  with  a 
friendly  smile. 

"  HeHh  not  my  uncle,"  she  said.    "  H©— we 

n 


CAP'N  GID 

jutht  looked  in  the  window  together,  and  then 
we  came  down  to  ask  about  the  peanut  candy." 

"  But  we're  friends,  aren't  we  ?  "  inquired  the 
captain  with  an  appearance  of  great  anxiety. 
"  "We  must  all  three  be  friends  from  this  time 
on.  I  know  your  names,  you  see.  Miss  Letty 
and  Peggy,  and  my  name  is  Gideon  Bold ;  Cap- 
tain Gid,  the  folks  up  home  caU  me.  I'm  a 
stranger  here,  and  in  need  of  friends ;  I  hope 
you'll  both  adopt  me  right  off." 

Miss  Letty  was  amused  and  a  little  bewildered, 
but  smaU  Peggy  saw  nothing  unusual  or  in  the 
least  amiss  in  this  suggestion.  She  laughed 
up  at  the  captain,  all  her  dimples  in  full  play. 

"  Courth  we  will,  won't  we,  Mith  Letty  ?  "  she 
said  and  held  out  her  little  right  hand  which 
the  captain  gravely  shook,  afterward  clasping 
Miss  Letty's  slender  fingers  across  the  counter. 

"  Now  for  the  squirrel,"  said  the  captain ; 
"  but  couldn't  we  watch  him  better  if  we  were 
eating  some  of  those  chocolate  candies  ?  Sup- 
pose you  put  me  up  a  pound  of  those  in  a  box 
and  leave  the  cover  off  for  the  present.  That's 
right.  But  you  don't  charge  enough  for  it, 
73 


CAP'N  GID 

seems  to  me;  I  expected  to  pay  city  prices. 
How  does  it  come  to  be  so  cheap  ?  " 

"  It's  home-made,"  said  Miss  Letty,  "  and  I 
shouldn't  feel  right  to  charge  any  more ;  my 
niece  makes  it,  and  she  hasn't  great  facilities. 
You  see  I  have  only  a  little  shop,  and  I  deal  in 
smaU  things  in  a  smaU  way.  The  squirrel  is 
the  only  costly  article  I  have,  and  I  was  over- 
persuaded  by  the  man  from  whom  I  buy  all  my 
toys.  I  really  believe  he  thought  I'd  be  able  to 
sell  it  right  away,  for  he's  a  kind  man  and  he 
knows  how  I'm  situated  with  my  mother  an 
invalid.  He  wouldn't  have  urged  me  to  put  so 
much  money  into  a  single  toy  if  he  hadn't 
thought  I'd  make  a  good  per  cent.  And  I  was 
fascinated  with  it ;  I'll  admit  that." 

Miss  Letty  sighed  as  she  went  to  her  safe ; 
she  unlocked  it  and  brought  out  an  oblong  box. 
With  careful  fingers  she  lifted  from  the  box 
something  wrapped  in  jeweler's  cotton.  Peggy's 
eyes  grew  larger  and  larger  as  she  watched  the 
unfolding  and  Captain  Bold  was  conscious  of  a 
pleasant  thrill  of  curiosity  as  a  miniature  stone 
wall  was  at  last  disclosed. 
74 


CAFN  GID 

"  Jutht  wait ! "  breathed  Peggy  at  his  side ; 
"  jutht  wait  a  minute  !  " 

Miss  Letty  spread  a  square  of  green  felt  on 
the  counter,  and  placed  the  little  stone  wall 
upon  it.  Then,  taking  a  queerly  shaped  key 
from  the  box,  she  inserted  it  cautiously  at  the 
back  of  the  toy  and  turned  it  slowly  around. 
She  did  not  speak,  and  her  face  wore  a  solemn 
look  as  if  she  were  the  priestess  of  some  wonder- 
ful mystery.  As  she  withdrew  the  key  she 
gave  one  glance  at  the  captain,  then  folded  her 
arms  and  stood,  her  head  bent  forward,  listen- 
ing. 

There  was  a  soft  whirr,  and  then  to  the 
sound  of  faint  and  fairy  music  there  came  out 
from  one  end  of  the  miniature  wall  a  tiny 
squirrel.  He  ran  up  the  side  of  the  little  stones 
and  along  to  the  middle  of  the  wall ;  there  he 
stopped,  sat  up,  moved  his  head  back  and  forth, 
nibbled  at  a  nut,  dropped  again,  turned  on  the 
wall  and  ran  back  to  his  hiding  place.  Two 
minutes  more  and  the  wonderful  toy  was  motion- 
less and  silent  as  when  Miss  Letty  lifted  it  from 
the  box. 

76 


CAFN  GID 

"I  vum,"  said  the  captain,  to  whom  the 
others  had  turned.  "  That  beats  anything  ever 
I  saw.  I  can't  believe  the  little  critter  isn't 
alive.  What  do  you  suppose  he's  doing  in  there, 
hidden  away  ?    Eating  ?  " 

"  There,  that'th  what  I'm  wondering  all  the 
time ! "  cried  ^Qggy. 

"What's  the  price,  ma'am?"  asked  the 
captain.  "There's  a  boy  up  coimtry  I'd  like 
to  have  see  that  mighty  welL  'Twould  tickle 
him  to  pieces." 

"  I  should  be  willing  to  sell  it  for  just  what 
it  cost  me,  fifteen  dollars,"  said  Miss  Letty. 
"I  had  hoped  to  sell  it  for  a  dollar  or  two 
more  to  some  rich  customers  of  mine  who  have 
a  little  lame  daughter ;  but  they  suddenly  went 
abroad  to  see  if  a  famous  German  specialist 
can  help  the  little  girl,  so  she  never  saw  the 
squirrel." 

"Why  don't  you  buy  it?  "asked  Peggy  of 
the  captain  with  an  engaging  smile.  "  Then  I 
could  go  to  your  houthe  and  see  it,  if  it'th  not 
too  far  away." 

"  I'm  afraid  it  wouldn't  be  quite  a  sensible 
76 


CAFN  GID 

thing,"  said  the  captain,  "for  me  to  put  so 
much  money  into  a  toy  for  a  boy  that  doesn't 
always  know  where  his  next  suit  of  clothes  is 
coming  from.  But  I'd  like  to  get  it,  ma'am, 
first-rate.  If  I  should  hear  of  a  customer  for 
it,  I'll  send  him  here,  or  what's  still  surer,  I'll 
bring  him  myself.  And  I  thank  you  very 
much  for  the  pleasure  you've  given  me.  I 
suppose  you  aren't  coming  my  way  ?  "  he  asked 
Peggy  who  showed  her  dimples,  shook  her 
curly  head,  and  settled  herself  more  firmly  on 
her  high  stool. 

"I'm  going  to  thtay  a  while  longer,"  she 
told  him.  "  Prob'ly  I'D.  be  here  again  to- 
morrow." 

"  That's  a  good  hearing,"  said  the  captain ; 
"  'twouldn't  surprise  me  a  bit  if  I  stopped  in 
here  to-morrow  about  this  time.  I  may  have 
found  the  very  person  who  needs  that  squirrel. 
Good-bye." 

"  I  like  him,"  announced  Peggy  as  the  cap- 
tain sprang  up  the  steps,  hat  in  hand  until  he 
reached  the  sidewalk. 

"  So  do  I,"  said  Miss  Letty,  but  as  she  carried 
77 


CAP'N  GID 

her   treasure   back   to   the   safe   she  sighed 
again.' 

"I  wish  I  knew  how  many  people  have 
offered  to  find  purchasers  for  you,"  she  said 
apostrophizing  the  squirrel  as  she  locked  the 
safe.  "  You're  a  wonderful  little  creature,  but 
'twas  a  great  piece  of  folly  on  my  part  to  buy 
you.  A  great  piece  of  folly.  I  ought  to  have 
put  that  money  into  homely  old  tape  and 
elastic  and  bone  hairpins.  I've  learned  my 
lesson,  but  I've  paid  more  than  I  could  afford 
to  for  learning  it,  ten  times  over ! " 


»^ 


«J©,^ 


7S 


CHAPTER  VI 


THERE  was  nothing  to  detain  the  captain 
at  the  stationer's  beyond  the  time  needed 
to  make  his  modest  purchases.  The  languid 
young  woman  who  waited  on  him  did  not  even 
feign  an  interest  in  the  selection  of  pens  and  a 
penholder.  She  scarcely  vouchsafed  her  cus- 
tomer a  look  when  he  said : 

"  I'm  well  supplied  at  home,  of  course,  but  I 
want  to  patronize  the  city  while  I'm  in  it." 

"Kot  much  conversation  to  be  got  out  of 
her,"  said  the  captain  as  he  stowed  the  package 
79 


CAP'N  GID 

in  a  capacious  pocket  and  stood  irresolutely  in 
the  doorway. 

"  I've  got  plenty  of  time  to  go  anywhere,"  he 
thought,  as  he  walked  slowly  along,  looking  in 
the  shop  windows.  "  Catch  me  going  back  for 
luncheon  with  none  of  the  other  men  there! 
Between  the  Hitchings  woman  and  Miss  Eaw- 
son,  everything  I  know  would  be  pried  out  o' 
me.  I'm  not  proposing  to  tell  my  affairs  to 
any  one  of  them." 

He  stopped  to  look  in  at  a  florist's  window 
where  among  other  spring  beauties  two  great 
bunches  of  many  colored  anemones  were  dis- 
played. 

"  I  don't  know  but  I  could  let  out  a  bit  to 
Mrs.  Rose  Tippett,"  he  thought,  smiling  to 
himself  at  the  i'emembrance  of  her  as  she  had 
sat  at  the  breakfast  table  in  a  cool  gown  of 
lilac  cotton.  "Looks  like  the  palest  of  those 
anemones,  Mrs.  Tippett  does.  Her  hair's  too 
heavy  for  her  little  head  and  makes  it  droop ; 
but  it's  pretty,  for  all  that," 

He  moved  on,  from  one  shop  window  to 
another,  his  hands  clasped  behind  him, 
80 


CAP^N  GID 

thoroughly  enjoying  all  that  he  saw.  Once  a 
newsboy  insinuated  a  morning  paper  into  the 
clasped  hands  and  then  saucily  demanded  three 
cents. 

"  Three ! "  and  the  captain  turned  his  keen 
though  friendly  gaze  on  the  boy.  "  How  long 
since  you  charged  three  cents  for  this,  sonny  ?  " 
and  he  brought  the  paper  forward  to  look  at  it. 

"  Aw  !  I  was  only  kiddin' !  "  cried  the  boy. 
"  I  thought  you  were  asleep,  and  dreamin', 
mister.     D'  you  want  the  p'yper  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  but  I'll  take  it,  seeing  you've 
had  so  much  trouble,"  said  the  captain,  draw- 
ing two  pennies  from  a  pocket  which  jingled 
whenever  his  finger  touched  it.  "  Is  this  your 
corner  ?  I'm  a  stranger  here,  and  bent  on  en- 
larging my  acquaintance." 

"  Sure,  this  is  my  reg'lar  place,"  said  the  boy. 
"  You're  a  professor  or  something,  ain't  you  ?  " 

"I  reckon  I'm  something,"  said  Captain 
Bold,  "  but  you  see  if  you  can't  make  a  better 
guess  next  time.  There's  a  man  across  the 
street  trying  to  hail  you." 

The  boy  ran  to  his  next  customer  and  the 
81 


CAFN  GID 

captain  moved  on,  but  his  hand  went  up  to  his 
jaw  and  lingered  there,  while  an  expression  of 
discomfort  crossed  his  face. 

"  My  old  silver  tooth's  setting  in  for  a  grum- 
bling spell,  true  as  you  live!"  he  muttered. 
"  And  I  swore  next  time  she  began  to  act  I'd 
have  the  old  filling  hauled  out  and  see  where 
the  trouble  is.  I'll  wager  'twas  those  good 
chocolate  creams  that  played  the  mischief  with 
her.  Well,  now  what's  to  be  done  ?  If  she 
doesn't  quiet  down  inside  of  five  minutes  I'll  go 
to  the  nearest  dentist ;  yes,  sir,  that's  what  I'll 
do.  I'm  not  intending  to  have  my  visit  spoiled 
right  from  the  start  by  any  lack  of  courage  on 
my  partj  and  if  Doc  Kansom  wanted  to  keep 
my  mouth  work  he  ought  to  have  used  his  in- 
fluence on  the  drinking  fountain  vote.  Ugh  I 
there  she  goes,  tuning  up  livelier  than  ever." 

In  a  few  minutes  the  captain's  expression  had 
altered  so  that  little  Peggy,  his  latest  friend, 
would  scarcely  have  recognized  him.  He 
walked  disconsolately  along,  trying  to  imagine 
that  the  trouble  grew  less,  but  knowing  full 
well  that  it  rather  waxed  than  waned. 
82 


CAFN  GID 

"  Whew !  "  he  muttered  at  last,  his  optimism 
conquered  and  overthrown  by  a  pain  which 
seemed  to  dance  along  his  jaw,  stabbing  more 
deeply  with  every  step.     "  I  can't  stand  this  1 " 

He  stood  for  a  moment  perfectly  still,  his 
gaze  fixed,  unseeing,  on  a  row  of  gilt  names  on 
a  big  black  board  at  the  entrance  of  a  tall 
building.  Suddenly,  in  the  midst  of  a  vicious 
stab  of  pain,  he  became  aware  that  he  was  star- 
ing straight  at  a  name  which  might  help  him  to 
the  comfort  he  sorely  needed. 

"  Dental  Studio,  Robert  Warner,  D.  M.  D.," 
he  read  twice,  and  then  throwing  back  his  head 
he  entered  the  building  and  crossed  to  the 
elevator. 

"  Business  seems  to  be  pretty  slack  with  you," 
he  said  to  the  elevator  boy,  who  rose  in  a 
leisurely  manner  from  the  seat  on  which  he  had 
been  lounging,  a  newspaper  in  his  hand.  "  I'm 
thinking  of  making  a  visit  to  Eobert  Warner 
D.  M.  D.'s  Dental  Studio,  to  let  him  take  a  look 
at  one  of  my  teeth.  Do  you  know  anything 
about  him  ?    Does  he  have  much  practice  ?  " 

"  Couldn't  tell  you,"  said  the  boy,  his  hand  on 
83 


CAFN  GID 

the  door  as  if,  having  been  disturbed,  he  was 
eager  to  be  off.  "  He's  been  here  only  a  few 
days.  Better  take  a  look  at  him  yourself. 
Got  a  nice  office." 

"  I  don't  care  what  kind  of  an  office  he  has,'* 
growled  the  captain,  rendered  savage  by  inces- 
sant stabbing  at  his  jaw.  "  Take  me  up  there, 
quick  as  you  can." 

The  boy  slammed  the  door,  and  the  car  shot 
up,  coming  to  a  stop  with  a  jar  just  before  the 
roof  was  reached. 

"  Third  door  to  your  left,"  said  the  boy  and 
the  captain  staggered  out,  clasping  his  anguished 
jaw. 

The  third  door  to  the  left  proved  to  be  ajar, 
and  facing  it  sat  a  young  man  with  a  boyish, 
good-humored  face.  He  sprang  to  his  feet  as 
the  captain  crossed  the  threshold,  and  the  suf- 
ferer noted  with  a  measure  of  satisfaction  even 
in  his  pain  that  the  dentist  did  not  smile. 

"  What  can  I  do  for  you,  sir  ?  "  he  asked 
solicitously. 

"  I  don't  know  yet,"  mumbled  the  captain, 
as  if  afraid  really  to  open  his  mouth.  "  My  old 
84 


CAP'N  GID 

silver  tooth  has  tuned  up  within  fifteen  minutes 
and  she's  going  it Ouch !  " 

His  face  twisted  with  pain,  and  his  eyes  in- 
voluntarily closed. 

"  This  way,  sir,  please,"  said  the  kind  young 
voice,  and  the  captain  found  himself  relieved  of 
his  hat  and  coat,  guided  toward  a  chair  and 
tilted  backward  with  a  gentle  request  to  open 
his  mouth. 

'•  I  see,"  remarked  Koger  "Warner,  D.  M.  D., 
as  the  captain's  right  index  finger  pointed  out 
the  source  of  his  anguish.  "  And — yes,  I  think 
we  can  relieve  that  pressure  without  much 
trouble." 

A  moment's  search  for  the  right  instrument 
while  the  captain  held  tight  to  the  arms  of  the 
chair,  another  moment  of  pain — and  then  re- 
Uef. 

"  Jiminy  !  "  cried  the  captain.  "  You've 
stopped  her !  What  have  you  done  ?  You're 
a  wizard,  man  I  " 

"No,"  said  Dr.  Warner,  and  that  time  he 
permitted  himself  a  smile  with  which  his  grate- 
ful patient  was  in  no  mood  to  find  fault.  "  I've 
85 


CAFN  GID 

only  chipped  off  an  edge  of  the  silver  which 
had  worked  away  from  the  gum  just  enough  to 
make  a  neat  niche  for  such  a  bit  of  sweet  as 
this  little  sliver  of  chocolate,"  and  he  displayed 
the  mischief  maker  to  the  captain.  "  That  was 
pressing  on  a  sensitive  spot." 

"  Well,  is  she  safe  now,  or  is  there  more  that 
needs  doing  to  make  her  all  right  ?  "  questioned 
the  captain. 

The  young  man  hesitated  and  colored. 

"  Why — I  think  your  dentist  will  probably 
suggest  a  new  fiUing  when  you  go  to  him,  and 
I'd  go  before  very  long  if  I  were  you,"  he  said 
turning  to  his  case  of  instruments.  "  I  suppose 
you  don't  live  here,  from  your  coming  to  me 
to-day." 

The  captain's  relief  was  so  great  that  his  face 
fairly  beamed. 

"I  guess  there  are  other  ways  you'd  have 
known  I  don't  belong  in  the  city,"  he  said. 
"  But  I'm  going  to  be  here  some  time,  I  don't 
know  just  how  long.  I  came  away  from  home 
dissatisfied  with  things  and  folks  there,  and 
I'm  trying  city  ways  and  folks  for  a  while.  If 
86 


CAFN  GID 

you'd  like  to  tackle  my  mouth  work,  do  what- 
ever needs  to  be  done,  why,  go  ahead.  Look 
me  over  this  morning — I  don't  know  as  I'd 
want  anything  done  to-day,  but  you  can  start 
in  to-morrow  if  you  like.  I'll  have  plenty  of 
time  on  my  hands.  My  name  is  Gideon  Bold, 
Captain  Gideon  Bold,  if  you  want  it  all,  and 
I'm  boarding  at  Mrs.  Rose  Tippett's,  385  Wal- 
nut Street.     I  came  yesterday." 

"I  happen  to  know  two  people  who  live 
there,"  said  Dr.  Warner,  "  One  is  Jack  Sever- 
ance, a  classmate  in  college.  Have  you  seen 
him  ?  " 

"  Seen  him  ?  Why,  we  walked  along  together 
this  morning,"  said  the  captain,  "  and  last  night 
we  went  to  one  of  Shakespeare's  plays — '  As 
You  Like  It.'  Have  you  ever  happened  to  see 
it  ?  Have  ?  Well,  aren't  there  two  as  nice 
girls  as  ever  you  laid  your  eyes  on  in  that 
play  ?  But  Rosalind  is  the  one  I'd  choose 
every  time." 

The  young  man  laughed  and  agreed  with  him. 

"  But  you  and  Jack  must  have  made  great 
strides  in  friendship,"  he  said,  evidently 
87 


CAFN  GID 

amused.  "He's  apt  to  be  slow  in  starting 
out  with  people." 

The  captain  put  his  head  on  one  side  and 
looked  at  the  young  man  with  much  the  air 
of  a  wise,  bright-eyed  robin. 

"There's  more  to  that  than  just  what  ap- 
pears," he  said  cautiously.  "  Did  you  ever — 
have  you  ever  heard  Mr.  Severance  speak  of 
any  young  ladies  he  knows  ?  " 

"  Dozens  of  them,"  said  Dr.  Warner  promptly. 
"  But  I  suppose  you  mean  Euth  Temple,  don't 
you  ?    She's  my  cousin." 

"  I  want  to  know ! "  and  the  captain  held 
out  his  hand  and  wrung  the  young  man's 
fingers.  "  Well,  she's  as  pretty  a  little  piece  of 
goods  as  you'd  see  in  a  day's  journey,  and 
she's  got  that  friend  o'  yours  so  he  hardly 
knows  which  end  he's  walking  on.  He  set 
out  to  take  her  to  the  play  last  night,  but  she 
fixed  it  so  I  was  the  one  he  took.  She  and  I 
sit  next  each  other  at  table,  and  I  reckon  we're 
going  to  be  the  best  o'  friends  before  we  get 
through.     We  shall  be  if  I  have  my  way." 

"You'll  be  friends,"  said  the  young  man 
88 


CAFN  GID 

with  conviction.  "  And  you  and  Jack  will  be, 
too.  He's  a  fine  fellow.  I've  been  engaged  to 
his  cousin,  Jean  Severance,  for  about  a  year." 

"  Engaged  a  year !  Why  in  the  world 
haven't  you  got  married?"  and  then,  remem- 
bering he  was  not  at  home  in  Felling,  Vermont, 
the  captain  clapped  a  hand  over  his  mouth. 
"  Excuse  me.  It's  none  of  my  business,"  he 
muttered  from  behind  his  fingers. 

But  although  young  Warner's  brows  were 
drawn  together  it  seemed  that  he  had  no 
quarrel  with  the  captain's  words,  only  impa- 
tience with  the  circumstances  that  had  beset  his 
wooing  and  now  delayed  his  marriage. 

"  The  Severances  all  have  money,"  he  said, 
"  and  Jean  and  I  both  think  I  ought  to  prove 
we  can  live  independently,  not  fall  back  on  our 
fathers.  But  we  couldn't  live  on  what  I've 
earned  since  I  graduated  from  the  Dental 
School  last  year — so  we're  waiting." 

"  I  see,"  said  the  captain.  "  Well,  that's  all 
right." 

"  It's  all  right  in  theory,"  and  Dr.  Warner 
frowned  thoughtfully,  "  but  it  isn't  working 
89 


CAFN  GID 

out  welL  I  can't  drag  people  in  here  by  the 
hau*.  I  moved  here  because  this  building  is  in 
the  centre  of  the  shopping  district,  and  women 
with  children  like  to  leave  them  at  the  dentist's 
while  they  shop.  I  had  pretty  good  luck  with 
children  at  the  school — charity  patients,  but 
I've  had  just  exactly  two  youngsters  over  my 
threshold  since  I  set  up  practice  for  myself." 

"  So-o,"  said  the  captain,  rubbing  his  chin  as 
his  gaze  traveled  the  room.  "  I  see  you  have 
some  picture  books  for  the  children  to  look  at. 
While  they  wait  ?  Oh,  I  should  have  supposed 
you  propped  'em  up  on  that  window  ledge, 
open,  while  you  worked  and  turned  a  page 
now  and  again.     You  try  it." 

The  young  man  looked  at  him  with  growing 
interest. 

"  That's  a  first-rate  idea,"  he  said.  "  You 
like  children,  don't  you  ?  " 

"Doesn't  everybody  like  'em?"  challenged 
the  captain.  "  I  pity  anybody  that  doesn't,  if 
there  are  any  such.  I  like  'em  all  sizes  and 
kinds,  clean  or  dirty.  That's  the  way  they 
run  in  Felling,  Yermont — and  everywhere  else." 
90 


CAP'N  GID 

The  captain's  "  mouth -work  "  had  been 
mapped  out,  and  he  was  bidding  the  young 
dentist  good-bye  when  another  idea  came  to  him. 

"  There's  something  I'd  like  to  have  you 
see,"  he  said  eagerly.  "  When  I  get  through 
my  appointment  to-morrow  could  you  spare  a 
few  minutes  to  go  with  me  to  a  little  shop 
quite  near  to  see  a — a  kind  of  a  device  that 
might  interest  you  ?  " 

For  answer  Dr.  Warner  turned  toward  his 
new  patient  a  page  perfectly  blank  save  for  a 
space  on  which  was  inscribed,  "  Captain  Gideon 
Bold,  10  to  11  A.  M." 

"  Looks  as  if  you  could,"  said  the  captain 
gravely.  "  Good !  And  I'll  write  Cousin  Ma- 
nila about  shipping  down  some  of  my  maple- 
sugar  as  soon  as  it's  ready.  There  never  was 
a  child  born  that  didn't  love  Vermont  maple- 
sugar.     Good-day  to  you." 


91 


WHEN  the  company  met  at  dinner  that 
night  it  seemed  natural  to  the  captain 
to  expect  that  every  one  of  Mrs.  Rose  Tippett's 
boarders  would  be  as  eager  to  hear  the  story 
of  his  first  day  in  the  city  as  he  was  to  tell  it. 
In  PelUng,  Vermont,  the  first  impressions  of 
a  newcomer  were  sought  and  valued.  "No 
doubt,"  thought  the  captain,  "they'll  all  be 
waiting  to  hear  what  I  have  to  say." 

But  his  high  hopes  were  doomed  to  perish. 
His  long  letter  to  Cousin  Marilla — containing 
original  abbreviations  which  after  causing  her 
a  blinding  headache  still  remained  riddles — had 
been  written  and  dispatched ;  he  dressed  for 
dinner  in  the  shirt  over  the  front  of  which 
Maggie  had  labored  with  a  heavy  and  practiced 
92 


CAP'N  GID 

hand,  and  descended  the  stairs  to  the  sound  of 
feminine  voices  interspersed  with  mutterings 
which  he  rightly  surmised  to  be  issuing  from 
the  throat  of  the  irate  Mr.  Farnham.  As  the 
captain  entered  the  dining-room  these  mutter- 
ings changed  to  an  articulate  growl. 

"  They  ought  to  be  spanked  and  put  to  bed, 
every  one  of  them,"  were  the  words  which 
greeted  the  captain,  and  as  Mr.  Farnham  ut- 
tered them  he  glared  first  at  Miss  Rawson  sit- 
ting beside  him,  very  erect  with  a  brilliant  spot 
on  each  cheek-bone,  and  then  across  the  table 
and  down  to  Mrs.  Hitchings'  martial  figure ;  on 
its  way  his  gaze  took  in  Mrs.  Damon,  who  ap- 
peared to  be  on  the  verge  of  tears. 

"  May  I  ask,  sir,  if  you  would  have  the  same 
rule  apply  to  men  who  were  endeavoring  to 
obtain  their  just  rights  ?  "  inquired  Mrs.  Hitch- 
ings in  an  ominous  tone. 

"  Men  never,  to  my  knowledge,  have  shown 
themselves  to  be  that  particular  kind  of  fool," 
growled  Mr.  Farnham,  transferring  his  atten- 
tion to  his  soup,  which  he  regarded  with  a 
blighting  gaze. 

93 


CAFN  GID 

The  captain  slipped  into  his  seat,  his  cheer- 
ful "  Good-eveniag,  friends,"  unanswered  save 
by  Mrs.  Tippett  who  smiled  and  murmured 
some  words  which  were  drowned  in  a  burst  of 
eloquence  from  Mrs.  Hitchings. 

"  What's  happened  now,  ma'am  ?  "  the  captain 
asked  desperately,  at  last,  of  Miss  Rawson,  for 
Ruth  Temple  was  not  in  her  seat.  "  I  haven't  read 
the  papers  to  day,  I've  been  so  busy  otherwise." 

"  I  can  hardly  conceive  of  such  a  thing  in 
these  days  when  events  are  crowding  so  thick 
and  fast  upon  us,"  and  Miss  Rawson  turned  a 
condemnatory  look  upon  her  genial  neighbor. 
"  I  feel  that  two  papers  a  day  are  scarcely  suf- 
ficient to  keep  me  in  touch  with  affairs  here 
and  in  England.  Mr.  Farnham  is  pleased  to 
refer  in  terms  of  contempt  to  the  latest  won- 
derful demonstration  of  our  militant  sisters 
across  the  water." 

"  Oh,  well  now,  that's  too  bad,"  said  the  cap- 
tain, trying  to  maintain  a  serious  air  in  spite  of 
his  remembrance  of  Mr.  Farnham's  words.  "  I 
think,  ma'am,  it's  'most  all  the  fault  of  the  men, 
when  you  come  right  down  to  it." 
94 


CAP'N  GID 

"  Ah ! "  breathed  Miss  Kawson,  with  an  air 
of  triumph.  "  You  see  that  point,  man  though 
you  are." 

"  Why,  yes,"  said  the  captain  apologetically, 
"  I  can't  help  seeing  it,  ma'am.  If  the  fathers 
and  husbands  and  brothers  and  so  on  of  those 
poor  deluded  ladies  had  treated  them  right, 
made  home  pleasant  for  them,  given  them  a 
good  share  of  their  earnings  and,  generally 
speaking,  cosseted  them  up,  they  wouldn't  be 
out  smashing  windows  and  setting  fire  to  mail- 
boxes and  so  on ;  stands  to  reason  they  don't 
like  doing  that  kind  of  thing.  Women  are 
meant  to  be  more  gentle  and  clinging,  and  so 
they  generally  are  if  treated  right." 

"What!"  boomed  Mrs.  Hitchings.  "Do  I 
strike  you  as  a  clinging  person.  Captain  Bold  ?  " 

"  No,  ma'am,"  returned  the  captain  promptly. 
"  You  certainly  do  not.  But  there  are  excep- 
tions to  that  rule  as  well  as  all  others.  And 
even  you,  ma'am,"  gaining  courage  as  he  spoke, 
"  even  you  don't  look  to  me  as  if  you'd  set  fire 
to  a  mail-box — not  on  purpose,  that  is." 

There  was  a  moment  of  silence,  at  the  end  of 
95 


CAP*N  GID 

whidi  Mrs.  Hitchings  removed  her  gaze  from 
the  captain  and  spoke,  not  to  him. 

"  May  I  ask  what  you  have  to  offer  us  in  the 
way  of  meat  this  evening,  Mrs.  Tippett  ?  " 

The  captain  noted  that  her  eyes  were  fastened 
on  the  waitress,  who  had  stood  open-mouthed 
listening  to  the  conversation  with  which  later 
on  she  would  be  expected  to  regale  her  asso- 
ciates below  stairs.  At  Mrs.  Hitchings'  ques- 
tion she  hastily  advanced  on  that  lady,  seized 
the  plate  on  which  was  left  no  scrap  to  show 
that  it  had  held  a  noble  portion  of  fish,  and 
bore  it  to  the  butler's  pantry. 

"  I  think  it  wiU  be  necessary  for  you  to  speak 
to  Amanda,"  Mrs.  Hitchings  said  sepulchrally, 
turning  toward  Mrs.  Tippett,  but  her  voice 
carried  its  message  to  Amanda,  whose  back  at 
once  became  aggressive. 

"Yes,  yes,  I  will."  Mrs.  Tippett's  delicate 
eyebrows  lifted  and  she  looked  distressed. 

It  was  evident  that  Amanda's  belligerence 

was  all  for  Mrs.  Hitchings,  for  the  captain 

noted  that  when  she  served  his  mistress,  last 

of  all,  the  girl's  big  hard  hand  touched  the 

96 


CAFN  GID 

slender  one,  and,  as  if  by  chance,  gave  it  a 
little  pat. 

"Plague  take  that  Hitchings  woman;  she 
ought  to  be  the  head  of  a  reformatory  instead 
of  set  down  in  the  midst  of  a  place  like  this," 
and  the  captain's  wrath  began  to  rise.  "  Tak- 
ing away  the  poor  little  lady's  appetite,  remind- 
ing her  of  all  the  unpleasant  things  she's  got  to 
do ;  and  stirring  up  the  other  boarders  till  they 
get  almost  violent  in  their  talk.  I  don't  know 
but  I'll  have  to  tackle  her  myself." 

The  captain's  digestion  was  perfect ;  had  it 
not  been  he  might  well  have  deemed  it  wise  to 
eat  little  that  evening.  The  talk  ran  from  one 
troubled  channel  into  another,  and  no  one 
seemed  to  be  in  the  best  humor  or  disposed  to 
make  allowances  for  the  opinion  of  any  one 
else.  Miss  Rawson  fought  with  Mr.  Corcoran 
over  the  recent  failure  of  a  banker  of  whom 
she  had  never  even  heard  previous  to  her 
perusal  of  the  evening  paper,  but  with  the 
details  of  whose  career  she  felt  herself  much 
better  fitted  to  deal  than  Mr.  Corcoran,  who 
had  known  him  since  boyhood. 
97 


CAP»N  GID 

Mr.  Famham  attacked  Mrs.  Damon  on  the 
subject  of  equal  suffrage,  beating  her  best  argu- 
ments to  the  ground  with  sledge-hammer  state- 
ments which  caused  her  glittering  pendant  to 
vibrate  wildly  more  than  once,  and  ended  in 
her  leaving  the  table  with  the  murmured  ex- 
cuse of  a  headache.  Thereupon  Mrs.  Hitch- 
ings  moved  up  to  her  place  and  began  a  series 
of  whispered  commands  to  Mrs.  Tippett  which 
quickly  put  an  end  to  whatever  joy  she  might 
have  been  taking  in  a  delicious  pudding. 

Young  Severance  came  in  late,  glanced  across 
the  table  at  Miss  Temple's  vacant  place,  and 
after  a  nod  to  the  captain,  attended  strictly  to 
what  was  set  before  him. 

"Looks  almost  savage  with  his  jaw  that 
way,"  reflected  the  captain  who,  while  war 
was  being  waged  across  him  between  Miss 
Rawson  and  the  banker,  had  no  chance  to 
speak.  "  And  there  goes  Famham,  looking  as 
if  all  his  milk  had  been  spilt  and  there  wasn't 
another  drop  ever  coming  his  way.  Well, 
Gid  Bold,  I  reckon  the  sooner  you  get  out  of 
this  and  connect  with  William  Shakespeare's 
98 


CAP'N  GID 

'Romeo  and  Juliet,'  the  better  it'll  be  for 
you." 

Whether  it  was  partly  the  lack  of  compan- 
ionship or  entirely  owing  to  the  difference  be- 
tween the  two  plays,  the  captain  was  not  quite 
equal  to  determine,  but  at  all  events  he  much 
preferred  "  As  You  Like  It "  to  the  story  of 
the  luckless  lovers.  As  he  walked  home  alone 
he  shook  himself  half  a  dozen  times  as  if  he  would 
rid  his  shoulders  of  an  unwelcome  burden. 

"Think  of  that  pretty,  gay  little  Rosalind 
turning  into  that  Juliet ! "  he  muttered.  "  I'd  go 
to-morrow  night,  just  to  take  the  taste  out  o' 
my  mouth  if  for  nothing  else.  '  "Winter's  Tale ' 
is  another  cheerful  one.  You're  getting  too 
old  for  tragedies,  Gid." 

The  next  morning  when  he  went  down  to 
breakfast  Jack  Severance  was  already  there 
so  fuU  of  good  spirits  that  the  captain  cast  a 
side  glance  toward  the  chair  at  his  left,  empty, 
but  slightly  pushed  back,  showing  that  it  had 
been  lately  occupied. 

"  Miss  Temple  was  awfully  early  this  morn- 
ing," volunteered  young  Severance,  ingenuously, 
99 


CAP'N  GID 

his  eyes  meeting  the  captain's  which  had  re- 
turned from  their  quizzical  inspection  of  the 
empty  chair.  "  She  told  me  last  evening  she'd 
have  to  be  off  in  good  season,  to  meet  one  of 
her  mothers." 

"  One  of  her  mothers  ?  "  repeated  the  captain. 

"  I  mean  the  mother  of  one  of  her  pupils,'* 
laughed  young  Severance,  to  whose  lips  laughter 
was  ready  to  come  at  a  moment's  notice  that 
morning.  "  She  told  me  about  it  last  evening. 
She  wasn't  at  dinner,  perhaps  you  noticed." 

"  Yes,"  assented  the  captain  drily,  "  I  noticed 
that — and  a  number  of  other  things." 

The  young  man  glanced  at  him,  colored  and 
lowered  his  voice,  although  Mrs.  Tippett  was 
talking  to  Mrs.  Damon,  and  there  was  no  one 
else  in  the  room. 

"  I  was  surprised  at  first,"  he  said,  "  because 
we  had  a  tentative  engagement  for  the  evening, 
and  I  thought  she'd  forgotten  it.  But  she 
hadn't.  She  had  to  take  home  one  of  her 
pupils  who  was  ill,  and  the  parents  made  her 
stay  to  dinner,  and  she  went  from  their  house  to 
a  meeting  she'd  told  me  about." 
100 


CAFN  GID 

"Too  bad,"  said  the  captain.  "I  knew 
something  had  gone  wrong." 

"But  she  telephoned  me,"  Jack  Severance 
went  on,  "  and  I  met  her  and  brought  her  home, 
and  then  she  played  to  me  up  in  her  little  sit- 
ting-room. She  plays  like — well,  I  don't  know 
a  thing  about  the  piano,  really,  I  can  just  drum 
with  one  finger — but  I'd  rather  hear  her  play 
than  Paderewski.  She  doesn't  like  to  have  me 
say  so,  but  it's  the  truth." 

"  Does  she  play  any  of  the  old  songs  ?  "  asked 
the  captain. 

"  Indeed  she  does,  and  all  the  new  ones  if 
you  ask  her  to,"  said  Jack  Severance.  "  And 
you  take  her  to  an  opera  and  she  can  play  you 
all  the  airs  next  day." 

"  I'll  be  delighted  to,"  said  the  captain  in- 
genuously.    "  I'd  like  nothing  better." 

"  Oh,  well,  what  I  meant  was  " — stammered  the 
young  man  while  the  captain  bent  a  grave  face  on 
the  smelt  which  seemed  loth  to  part  from  its  bones 
— "what  I  meant  was  when  anybody  takes  her." 

"  Why,  yes,"  the  captain's  tone  was  innocence 
itself,  "that's  what  I  supposed  you  meant. 
101 


CAP'N  GH) 


Well,  I'm  anybody,  and  I'll  take  her  the  very 
first  night  she'll  go,  when  I've  finished  with 
William  Shakespeare ;  and  I'll  ask  Mrs.  Tippett 
to  go  along.  'T  wouldn't  do  her  a  bit  of  harm.  If 
you  didn't  happen  to  have  anything  special  to  do 
you  might  join  us.     My  party,  you  understand." 

"  I'll  see  that  I  don't  have  anything  else  to 
do  when  that  party  comes  off,"  said  Jack  Sever- 
ance.    "  I'll  be  right  on  hand,  sir." 

"  Well  and  good,"  said  the  captain.  "  And  af- 
terward, when  she's  played  me  the  airs,  I'll  give 
you  my  opinion  of  her  musical  talent.  Now  if 
there's  anything  left  of  this  pesky  little  fish  I'd 
better  start  in  eating  it  before  it's  stone  cold." 


-'^  u 


102 


CHAPTER  VIII 


ALONG  the  main  street  of  Felling,  Ver. 
mont,  there  strode  a  determined  figure. 
Seeing  the  strong  face  and  the  swinging  gait  of 
Miss  Marilla  Bold  there  is  no  doubt  that  Mrs. 
Hitchings  would  at  once  have  claimed  her  for  a 
kindred  soul ;  there,  however,  she  would  have 
made  a  grave  mistake. 

"  I'm  not  saying  I  haven't  sympathy  for  the 

suffrage  party,"  Miss  Marilla  had  stated  to  the 

new  minister's  wife  when  questioned  anxiously 

as  to  her  views ;  "  and  I'm  not  prepared  to  say 

103 


CAP*N  GID 

I*m  an  out  and  out  anti ; — all  I  say  is  they're 
making  too  much  fuss  about  it  on  both  sides. 
You  let  'em  keep  house  for  a  man  like  Cousin 
Gid,  and  attend  to  all  the  things  that  none  but 
the  women  can  attend  to,  and  where  they're 
going  to  squeeze  in  the  time  for  politics  is  more 
than  I  can  see.  Cousin  Gid  wrote  me  in  his 
letter  yesterday  that  he's  right  in  a  hot-bed  of 
contention  over  women's  rights  and  wrongs. 
Well,  I  guess  he  can  be  trusted  to  keep  out  of 
it.     He's  a  real  tactful  man." 

The  new  minister's  wife  had  agreed,  although 
the  evidences  of  Captain  Gid's  tact  were  not  so 
clear  to  her  as  they  might  have  been.  She 
thought  of  him,  in  the  recesses  of  her  soul,  as  a 
hot-tempered,  impulsive  man  who  had  stamped 
out  of  town  before  the  new  minister  was  fairly 
settled,  leaving  a  large  hole  in  the  weekly  col- 
lections which  no  one  else  seemed  disposed  to 
filL 

As  Miss  Marilla  strode  along  she  smiled  to  see 
approaching  her  a  plump  over-dressed  woman 
whose  face  was  slightly  flushed. 

"  Now  for  it ! "  she  told  herself.  "  She's  got 
104 


CAFN  GID 

me  this  time.  Clear  road  and  no  escape  for  me. 
She's  been  looking  for  just  this  chance.  Trust 
the  "Widow  Mason  ! " 

A  moment  later  they  were  shaking  hands 
with  every  evidence  of  cordiality,  although  if 
Captain  Gid  had  been  present  at  the  meeting  he 
would  have  recognized  a  certain  quality  in  his 
Cousin  Marilla's  smile  which  always  made  him 
uneasy. 

"  And  what  do  you  hear  from  the  traveler  ?  " 
asked  the  plump  woman  when  the  weather  had 
been  thoroughly  discussed. 

"  Traveler  ?  Oh,  you  mean  Cousin  Gid,"  said 
Miss  Marilla  with  an  air  of  sudden  enlighten- 
ment. "  I  hadn't  thought  of  him  as  a  traveler 
because  he's  staying  right  in  one  spot,  that  is 
to  say  in  one  city  ;  though  I'm  bound  to  admit 
he  seems  to  be  going  about  there  more  than  I 
ever  supposed  he  would.  Get  him  home  here 
in  Felling  with  a  good  book  and  a  pair  of  easy 
shoes,  and  I  defy  anybody  to  stir  him  out  of  an 
evening  unless  it's  for  something  connected  with 
the  welfare  of  the  town.  I've  often  said  to  him, 
'  Cousin  Gid,  why  not  step  around  to  so-and-so's 
105 


CAFN  GIB 

this  evening  ? '  I've  felt  he  was  settling  down 
too  early  in  life,  but  land !  I  needn't  have 
worried,  by  what  he  writes  me — and  what  he 
doesn't  write,"  she  added  after  a  slight  but 
noticeable  pause. 

"  Has  he  made  friends  in  the  city  ?  "  asked 
Mrs.  Mason  anxiously.  "I  shouldn't  suppose 
he'd  know  anybody  very  well  yet,  short  time 
as  he's  been  gone.  But  you  never  can  tell 
about  men,"  and  she  gave  a  heavy  sigh — and 
waited. 

"  Bless  you,  he  doesn't  have  to  go  outside 
the  doors  of  the  house  where  he's  boarding  to 
find  friends  ready  to  hand,"  said  Miss  Marilla 
briskly.  "  There's  a  young  man  he's  taken  a 
great  fancy  to,  and  they've  been  to  the  theatre 
together  and  some  other  places;  and  there's 
a  pretty  young  teacher — you  know  Cousin 
Gid  having  been  on  the  school-board  so  much 
he's  always  interested  in  teachers.  This  one 
sits  next  him  at  table,  and  I  should  judge  he's 
all  carried  away  with  her.  He  says  she  has 
the  sweetest  voice  and  sunshiniest  smile  that 
ever  he's  heard  and  seen.  Then  there  are  two, 
106 


CAFN  GID 

three  other  women,  nearer  his  own  age,  but 
years  never  make  any  difference  to  him,  and  a 
couple  of  older  men." 

Miss  MariUa  paused,  adjusted  her  bag  on  her 
arm  and  made  a  movement  as  if  she  were  about 
to  say  "  Good-bye."  She  looked  at  Mrs.  Mason 
with  the  smile  which  had  been  known  to  confuse 
her  cousin,  and  the  plump  widow  looked  at  her. 

"  Has  he  said  anything  special  about  the  one 
who  runs  the  house  ? "  asked  Mrs.  Mason,  al- 
lowing her  eyes  to  wander  beyond  Miss  Marilla 
and  rest  on  a  picket  fence  which  offered  noth- 
ing of  interest  to  the  casual  observer. 

Miss  MariUa  turned  and  looked  at  the  fence 
herself, 

"  I  didn't  know  but  you'd  sighted  a  new  kind 
of  bird,  you  seemed  so  interested,"  she  said 
easily.  "No,  I  don't  remember  that  he's 
written  anything  special  about  her,  not  any- 
thing 'Very  special,  that  is." 

"  Probably  she's  like  the  general  run  of  those 
who  keep  boarding-houses,"  said  the  widow  after 
another  pause,  during  which  her  eyes  and  those 
of  Miss  Marilla  had  met  and  held  each  other. 
107 


CAP»N  GID 

"Very  likely,"  and  now  Miss  Marilla  was 
without  doubt  ready  to  move  on.  "  Well,  any 
time  you  feel  like  it  just  drop  up  the  hill  to  see 
me.  You  haven't  been  there  for — why,  you 
haven't  been  there  since  Cousin  Gid  went  away, 
and  you  used  to  be  real  sociable  ;  but  there,  you 
probably  have  a  lot  of  things  to  do,  same  as  I 
have,  and  the  days  slip  away  before  we  know 
it.  You  come  when  it  seems  best;  good-bye. 
I'm  on  my  way  to  the  post-office." 

"  There,"  said  Miss  Marilla  to  herself  as  she 
started  briskly  along,  "  I  guess  I've  fixed  her ! 
I'll  wager  she'U  come  panting  up  the  hill  to- 
morrow afternoon  rather'n  give  me  a  chance  to 
write  Cousin  Gid  what  I  might.  But  I  never 
saw  anything  like  her  for  going  right  to  the 
root  of  the  matter.  I  know  and  she  knows, 
and  she  knows  that  I  know  that  the  only  per- 
son she  need  be  afraid  of  undermining  her 
chances  is  Mrs.  Hose  Tippett.  She's  talked 
with  old  Asa  Dean  and  Mrs.  Gaynes  and  the 
minister's  wife  and  she's  pieced  everything  to- 
gether all  neat  and  ready  for  use.  She  got  the 
address  out  of  Eddy  Foss's  mother  first  thing 
108 


CAFN  GID 

and  for  all  I  know  she  may  have  written  Cousin 
Gid  half  a  dozen  times  already.  Much  good 
it'll  do  her.  I  hiow  the  signs,  and  Cousin  Gid 
is  showing  'em  plain  !  " 

The  letter  which  Miss  Marilla  posted  to  her 
cousin  contained  no  reference  to  Mrs,  Rose  Tip- 
pett  until  the  very  end.  It  held  quite  a  lengthy 
dissertation,  however,  on  the  love  affairs  of  Ruth 
Temple  and  Jack  Severance.  The  captain 
pondered  over  the  sentences,  whistling  under 
his  breath. 

"  The  trouble  with  that  pretty  girl  is  she's 
too  sure  of  him,"  wrote  Miss  Marilla.  "  She 
thinks  she  can  keep  on  with  her  teaching  till 
she's  good  and  ready  to  stop,  meanwhile  mak- 
ing him  over  by  degrees,  and  then  if  she  hasn't 
seen  somebody  else  she  Ukes  better — and  she 
won't — she'll  marry  him.  That's  the  way  girls 
are  made.  And  the  only  thing  for  him  to  do 
is  to  get  her  just  a  mite  jealous.  It's  all  very 
well  for  the  folks  that  write  books  to  talk 
about  not  brushing  off  the  bloom,  and  leaving 
the  '  sweet  unconscious,  half -awakened  love '  to 
find  itself ;  there's  nothing  like  another  girl  to 
109 


CAP'N  GID 

help  out.  You  tell  Mr.  Severance  that  with 
my  compliments.  And  you  give  my  respects 
to  Mrs.  Rose  Tippett  and  tell  her  that  I'm  real 
grateful  to  her  for  making  things  so  pleasant 
for  you.  Take  a  woman  of  her  age — I  judge 
she's  in  her  early  thirties  by  what  you  said  in 
your  first  letter — and  she  can  be  agreeable  to  a 
man  twenty  years  older  than  she  is  without  ex- 
citing any  remarks.  I  expect  she  looks  on  you 
as  real  elderly,  same  as  I  should  have  at  her 
time  of  life,  and  takes  solid  comfort  in  having 
a  settled  old  bachelor  like  you  in  the  house." 

Miss  Marilla  had  read  these  closing  sentences 
twice  over  before  she  sealed  her  letter.  She 
regarded  them  at  the  time  as  a  masterpiece  of 
art  and  suggestion  and  when  she  slipped  the 
letter  into  the  slit  at  the  post-office  after  her  en- 
counter with  the  Widow  Mason  she  felt  a  tingle 
of  pride  and  satisfaction.  "  I  did  that  pretty 
well,"  she  thought,  nodding  to  the  post-mistress, 
"pretty  well — and  I  expect  to  see  my  words 
bear  fruit.  There  isn't  a  man  in  this  world  but 
what  thinks  he  can  manage  his  affairs  without 
any  help,  and  there  isn't  one  out  of  a  thousand 
110 


CAP'N  GID 

of  'em  but  what  has  to  be  guided  and  prodded 
and  boosted  up  to  what's  designed  for  him  by 
Providence.  I  may  have  to  follow  up  that  let- 
ter by  a  good  deal  else,  but  it'll  let  a  little  light 
in  on  Cousin  Gid,  if  I'm  not  mistaken." 


Ill 


CHAPTEB 
IX 


IT  was  about  two  weeks  later  that,  going  down 
to  breakfast  rather  tired  after  an  evening 
with  "King  Lear"  and  a  night  of  confused 
dreams,  Captain  Bold  received  a  smile  of  wel- 
come from  his  pretty  neighbor. 

"Well,  there,  I  didn't  know  as  I  was  ever 
going  to  see  you  again,"  said  the  captain.  "  Just 
as  soon  shake  hands  with  me  ?  Thank  you. 
Now  this  day's  beginning  right.  Isn't  examina- 
tion time  'most  over  ?  " 

"It's  quite  over  for  the  present,"  laughed 

Ruth  Temple,  "  and  I've  gone  the  rounds  of  the 

parents  for  luncheons  and  dinners,  too.    This  is 

the  season  of  the  year  when  each  one  wishes  to 

112 


CAFN  GID 

explain  to  me  exactly  why  her  child  shouldn't 
be  judged  by  the  result  of  examinations.  It's 
all  very  funny.  Twice  this  week  I've  heard 
about  you,  Captain  Bold." 

"  I  want  to  know,"  and  the  captain  beamed. 
"Let's  see  if  I  can  guess.  Been  having  the 
toothache  lately  ?  " 

"No,"  she  shook  her  head  gaily.  "But  I 
met  my  cousin  on  the  street  yesterday,  so  one 
of  your  guesses  is  right.  He  says  you've  laid 
the  corner  stone  of  his  fortune  ;  gratitude  and 
joy  were  written  all  over  him." 

"  Pshaw  !  "  but  the  captain  looked  as  if  this 
were  pleasant  news.  "  Have  you  seen  his  squir- 
rel ?  I'll  wager  you  never  saw  anything  better 
calculated  to  please  little  folks  than  that  is." 

"  I  haven't  seen  it,  but  two  of  my  pupils 
have,"  said  Miss  Temple ;  "  and  they  are  per- 
fectly wild  over  it.  One  of  them  begged  Rob- 
ert to  tell  her  mother  she  needed  to  have  an- 
other tooth  filled,  so  she  might  go  again." 

"That's  good  news,"  said  the  captain.  "I 
like  your  cousin  first-rate.  He's  talked  to  me 
sort  of  confidential — seeing  what  a  regular  old 
113 


CAP^N  GID 

countryman  I  am — and  he's  made  me  feel  at 
home ;  same  as  Mr.  Severance  has,"  and  the 
captain's  sidelong  glance  noted  with  joy  a  faint 
blush.  "  I'm  expecting  we'U  be  real  intimate 
soon.  Who  was  the  other  person  that  knew 
me?" 

"  It  was  two  other  people,"  said  Miss  Temple, 
as  she  pressed  her  napkin  into  its  ring.  "  Miss 
Letty  Grace  and  little  Peggy  Townsend.  You 
seem  to  be  making  a  good  many  firm  friends  in 
a  very  short  time.  Captain  Bold.  I  thank  you 
for  the  delightful  footstool  I  found  under  my 
desk  last  night,"  she  added  as  she  rose  from  the 
table.  "  Mrs.  Tippett  told  me  who  made  it,  and 
it's  exactly  the  right  size  and  height." 

"  'Twasn't  anything  to  do ;  didn't  take  but  a 
few  minutes,"  asserted  the  captain,  beaming  up 
at  her.  "  I  told  Mrs.  Tippett  I  wished  she'd  let 
me  putter  round  a  bit  in  the  attic,  see  if  there's 
any  little  job  of  mending  I  could  find  to  do,  and 
she'd  happened  to  mention  she  must  get  you 
some  kind  of  a  footstool ;  the  materials  were  to 
hand,  so  I  begged  the  privilege.  'Tisn't  worth 
speaking  of." 

114 


CAFN  GID 

"  Oh,  yes  it  is,"  said  Miss  Temple,  shaking  her 
pretty  head.  "  Don't  belittle  your  work,  sir. 
Perhaps  you'll  come  up  some  evening  and  see 
how  it  looks." 

"  I'd  like  nothing  better,"  said  the  captain 
heartily.  "  And  while  I  think  of  it,  will  you  go 
hear  that  new  opera  (I  don't  dare  to  pronounce 
it)  with  me  some  evening  next  week?  I'm 
going  to  ask  Mrs.  Tippett  and  Mr.  Severance. 
You  will  ?    That's  first-rate." 

"  What  in  the  world  do  you  find  to  smile  at 
on  a  morning  like  this,  and  at  this  time  in  the 
morning  into  the  bargain  ? "  demanded  Mr. 
Farnham,  as  he  entered.  "  That  girl's  al- 
ways laughing,  to  be  sure;  but  she's  young, 
while  you  must  be  fully  as  old  as  I  am." 

"  I  reckon  I'm  older,"  answered  the  captain 
placidly.  "  At  any  rate  I'm  old  enough  to  have 
learned  that  there's  no  more  need  of  biting  folks' 
heads  off  at  half-past  eight  in  the  morning  than 
at  ten  o'clock  at  night.  What's  brought  you 
out  of  bed  so  early,  friend  ?  " 

"  Farnham  doesn't  like  to  be  called  a  friend 
before  noon,"  said  Mr.  Corcoran  who  entered 
115 


CAP'N  GID 

the  room  at  the  moment.  "He  feels  much 
more  like  an  enemy." 

"  I  think  I  have  never  asked  you  to  interpret 
my  feelings,  Mr.  Corcoran,"  came  from  between 
thin,  unsmiling  hps. 

"  It  isn't  necessary,  that's  a  fact,"  laughed 
the  broker  ;  "  anybody  could  read  'em  with  one 
eye.  Come  along,  Famham,  cheer  up.  A 
rainy  morning  like  this  we  need  every  little 
ray  of  sunshine  we  can  get.  You  be  a  little 
ray  for  us,  there's  a  good  fellow." 

There  was  no  reply  save  a  scowl  on  the  sallow 
face,  and  a  quickly  suppressed  chuckle  from  the 
captain,  who  finished  his  breakfast  in  the  best 
of  humors,  and  then  walked  into  the  parlor  to 
look  out  of  the  window  and  watch  for  the  post- 
man. This  was  one  of  his  morning  pleasures 
when  it  so  happened  that  Mrs.  Hitchings  had 
not  forestalled  him,  as  unfortunately  she  had 
done  more  than  once.  Her  method  was  not 
that  pursued  by  Captain  Bold,  whose  custom  it 
was  to  stand  in  the  window,  between  widely 
parted  curtains,  weU  in  view  of  the  passers-by. 

Mrs.  Hitchings  arranged  a  loophole  through 
116 


CAFN  GID 

which  she  might  see  but  could  not  be  seen,  and 
seated  herself  at  some  distance  from  the  win- 
dow. From  this  vantage  ground,  fully  dressed 
for  going  out,  she  now  greeted  the  captain. 

"  The  postman  is  late,"  she  stated  in  the  deep 
voice  to  which  he  had  not  yet  grown  accus- 
tomed ;  when  it  boomed  at  him  from  the  dusk 
of  the  telephone  closet  one  day  he  had  jumped 
and  cried  "  Bless  my  soul ! "  which  was  far 
from  pleasing  to  Mrs.  Hitchings. 

"  Yes,  ma'am,  he  seems  to  be,"  said  the  cap- 
tain, retreating  to  the  farther  end  of  the  room 
and  taking  up  a  large  red  book  full  of  "  Types 
of  American  Beauty." 

"  It  is  no  question  of  seeming,"  the  deep  voice 
corrected  and  reproved  him^;  "  it  is  a  question  of 
fact." 

"  Yes,  ma'am,  I  presume  you're  just  about 
right,"  admitted  her  victim. 

"  I  never  permit  myself  to  be  '  just  about 
right,' "  returned  Mrs.  Hitchings  in  majestic 
disapproval.  "  I  wish  to  be,  and  am,  in  small 
matters  as  in  great  ones,  exacts  sir." 

The  captain  fled  out  into  the  hall. 
117 


CAFN  GED 

"  I  wouldn't  live  with  that  woman,  not  for 
all  you  could  give  me,"  he  muttered,  as  he  hur- 
ried up-stairs.  "  I'll  bet  poor  old  Hitchings 
was  glad  to  go  to — wherever  he  went.  Noth- 
ing could  be  worse  than  being  tied  for  life  to  a 
woman  that  picks  on  you,  manners,  language, 
opinions  and  all,  day  in  and  day  out,  settii^ 
you  right  every  few  minutes." 

At  the  head  of  the  stairs  he  hesitated,  for  the 
sound  of  Maggie's  voice,  singing  as  she  plied 
the  carpet-sweeper,  came  to  him  from  his  own 
loom. 

"  I  declare,  I  don't  know  where  to  go,"  said 
the  captain  disconsolately.  "  I  don't  see  what 
possessed  me  not  to  have  that  young  Warner 
give  me  an  appointment  this  morning.  I  feel 
lost  without  it;  and  little  Peggy  having  told 
me  she  was  going  on  a  visit  with  her  mother, 
there  doesn't  seem  to  be  any  good  excuse  for 
my  trudging  out  in  the  rain  to  Miss  Letty's.  I 
believe  I'll  go  up  attic  and  look  around ;  see  if 
there  isn't  something  I  could  mend." 

As  he  hesitated,  he  heard  the  sharp  slap  of 
the  letter  box  lid,  and  turning,  saw  half  a  dozen 
118 


CAFN  Gm 

letters  shoot  through  the  slit  and  down  to  the 
hall  floor.  He  descended  the  stairs  briskly,  but 
Mrs.  Hitchings  was  there  before  him. 

"  One  for  Mrs.  Damon,  from  her  husband," 
she  said.  "I  will  lay  it  here  on  the  slab,  as 
Mrs.  Damon  is  dressing  to  go  with  me  to  the 
State  House.  One  for  Miss  Kawson,  who  has. 
already  gone.  I  will  leave  that  here,  also. 
Two  for  me,  one  for  you.  Captain  Bold,  and 
one  for  Mrs.  Tippett." 

She  looked  at  the  last  letter  very  closely,  ex- 
amining its  stamp  and  address  with  a  keen 
scrutiny  which  the  captain  resented. 

"  I  think  I  will "  she  began  slowly,  but 

at  that  moment  Mrs.  Damon  came  hurrying 
down  the  stairs. 

"  I'm  so  sorry  to  be  late,"  she  panted,  "  but 
it's  just  one  of  the  mornings  when  everything 
goes  on  wrong,  and  nothing  will  fasten,  and 
three  times  I've  caught  my  hair  on  hooks ! " 

"  You  do  not  allow  yourself  sufficient  time," 
said  Mrs.  Hitchings,  unmoved  by  this  tale  of 
trial,  her  eyes  still  on  the  letter  in  her  hands. 

"  Is  there  any  mail  for  me  ?  "  inquii'ed  Mrs. 
119 


CAP'N  GID 

Damon,  and  the  captain  noted  with  satisfaction 
that  she  cast  a  covertly  rebellious  look  at  her 
martial  friend. 

"  Feels  just  about  the  way  I  do,"  he  thought, 
as  Mrs.  Damon  received  her  letter  and  stuffed 
it  into  her  bag,  clicking  it  shut  with  a  snap. 

"I  will  place  the  letter  for  Mrs.  Tippett 
here,"  and  reluctantly  Mrs.  Hitchings  laid  it 
down.  "  She  is  very  busy  this  morning,  and 
doubtless  would  not  spare  the  time  to  read  it, 
if  I  were  to  ring  for  Amanda  to  take  it  to  her. 
Good-morning,  Captain  Bold ;  I  trust  you  wiU 
pass  a  profitable  day." 

"Well,  now,  it's  nothing  to  you,  marm, 
whether  I  do  or  don't,"  muttered  the  captain 
as  the  door  closed,  shutting  out  his  view  of 
the  two  intrepid  women,  setting  forth  in  an 
easterly  storm.  "  I'm  going  to  ring  that  beU 
for  Amanda  myself.  No  reason  Mrs.  Tippett 
shouldn't  have  her  letter  and  decide  whether 
she  wants  to  take  time  to  read  it  or  not." 

"When  Amanda  appeared  the  captain  had  a 
sudden  thought  quite  worthy  of  his  name. 

"  I'm  going  up  attic,"  he  said.  "  I'll  take  it 
120 


CAFN  GID 

to  her  and  save  you  the  stairs  if  you  will  tell 
me  where  she  is." 

"  She  is  in  the  linen  room,  beside  the  attic," 
said  Amanda  gratefully.  "And  I  give  you 
thanks  for  taking  it.  You  are  a  kind  man.  I 
will  go  again  to  my  dishes,  that  are  never 
ended  in  this  house.  The  door  of  the  linen 
room  will  be  open." 

Up  three  flights  of  stairs  trudged  the  captain, 
pausing  at  the  head  of  the  last  one  to  give  a 
loud  cough.  A  slight  rustling  sound  accom- 
panied by  soft  humming  ceased  as  he  coughed. 

"  I  have  a  letter  for  you,"  said  the  captain, 
advancing  to  the  door  of  the  linen  .room  which 
stood  wide  open  as  Amanda  had  prophesied. 

Mrs.  Tippett  was  seated  in  a  low  rocking- 
chair;  strewn  about  her  were  sheets  and 
towels,  while  on  her  lap  were  pillow-cases 
which  she  was  measuring  to  be  sure  that  she 
matched  them  in  pairs.  Her  hair  was  slightly 
disordered  ;  there  were  some  little  waving  ten- 
drils and  soft  curls  of  which  Mrs.  Hitchings 
would  have  sternly  disapproved,  but  the  cap- 
tain regarded  them  with  pleasure.  In  his  eyes 
121 


CAP'N  GID 

Mrs.  Kose  Tippett  with  a  faint  color  in  her 
cheeks,  and  slightly  roughened  hair,  was  a 
picture  to  be  gazed  at  with  appreciation,  and 
an  unwonted  feeling  of  tenderness  swept  over 
him.  She  looked  so  gentle  and  so  wistful  as 
she  took  her  letter  from  him  with  a  word  of 
thanks. 

"  Made  to  be  taken  care  of,  that's  what  she 
is,"  thought  the  captain,  not  for  the  first  or 
second  time. 

"  I  expect  you'd  like  to  read  it  right  off,"  he 
said,  lingering  for  a  moment,  his  own  letter 
crumpled  in  his  left  hand.  "  I've  had  one,  too, 
from  my  Cousin  Marilla  up  home.  It's  full  of 
news  as  a  nut  is  of  meat,  I  know  that  before  I 
open  it.  I  thought  of  stepping  into  the  attic 
and  looking  around  to  see  if  you  had  anything 
that  needed  tinkering.  Up  home  a  day  like 
this  there  are  always  some  little  odd  jobs  to  be 
done,  to  keep  my  hands  busy  and  my  mind  off 
the  smell  o'  the  salt.  An  east  wind  drives  my 
thoughts  seaward  pretty  strong,  you  see.  May 
I  take  a  look  around  and  see  jf  I  can  find  any- 
thing that  needs  a  little  attention  ?  The  ladies 
122 


CAFN  GID 

have  all  gone  off  to  a  suffrage  meeting,  or  some 
sort  of  valiant  doings,  I  take  it,"  and  the  cap- 
tain smiled  at  her  as  one  who  was  on  his  side. 

"  There's  a  clock  I've  always  been  fond  of ; 
it  came  from  Eose  Court,  my  old  home,"  said 
Mrs.  Tippett,  letting  the  pillow-cases  slip  un- 
heeded to  the  floor  as  she  rose.  "I  wonder — do 
you  know  about  clocks.  Captain  Bold  ?  Could 
you  make  one  go  that  hadn't  gone  for  years  ? 
Mrs.  Hitchings  says  nothing  can  be  done  with 
it;  she  says  she  knows  all  about  clocks,  and 
she  has  shaken  and  shaken  it,  and  tried  it  on 
different  walls.  She  says  it  is  because  it  was 
of  Southern  make,  and  not  properly  adjusted 
to  stand  the  journey.  But — but  our  dear  old 
'Zekiel,  on  whom  my  mother  always  relied  for 
everything,  packed  it  when  I  came  away  from 
home.  I'm  sure  he  would  have  been  most  care- 
ful." 

"Has  anybody  that  really  knows — I  mean 
have  you  had  any  expert  look  it  over  ?  "  asked 
the  captain.  "  You  see,  Mrs.  Hitchings  might 
have  neglected  some  little  thing  that  such  a 
man  would  know  about  right  off." 
123 


CAP'N  GID 

"Oh,  no,"  and  Mrs.  Tippett's  eyes  were 
startled.  "Mrs.  Hitchings  would  not  have 
liked  it  if  I — if  I  hadn't  trusted  her  judgment. 
Here  is  the  clock." 

They  had  entered  the  attic,  and  from  a  shelf 
Mrs.  Tippett  lifted  down  an  old  square  clock, 
looking  at  it  regretfully,  but  with  loving  eyes. 

"Hasn't  it  a  pretty  picture  at  the  top?" 
she  asked.  "I  always  loved  that  funny  little 
winter  scene  with  a  bright  sunset  at  one  end 
and  the  full  moon  at  the  other.  See;  the 
weights  are  wound  as  tight  as  they  can  be; 
they're  up  at  the  very  top.  Here's  the  key  on 
its  old  hook  inside  where  it  always  hung — but 
it's  of  no  use." 

The  captain  inserted  a  cautious  finger,  poking 
it  up  as  far  as  it  would  go.  Suddenly  he  drew 
his  mouth  into  a  pucker,  and  glanced  at  Mrs. 
Tippett.  At  the  moment  she  was  gazing  at  a 
queer  old  vase,  banished,  like  most  of  her  girl- 
hood belongings,  at  Mrs.  Hitchings'  command. 

"M-m,"  said  the  captain,  withdrawing  his 
finger.  "  If  I  should  succeed  in  getting  it  in 
order,  could  I  claim  an  extra  plateful  of  those 
124 


CAP'N  GID 

excellent  griddle  cakes  to-morrow  morning? 
provided,  of  course,  Mrs.  Hitchings  wasn't  on 
hand  to  see  me  get  them." 

"  You  shall  have  two  extra  platefuls,  beside 
a  heartful  of  thanks.  Oh,  I'd  be  so  glad  to 
hear  it  tick  again ! "  said  Mrs.  Rose  Tippett 
softly,  as  she  left  the  captain  and  went  back  to 
her  linen  sorting. 

"  Eyes  looked  kind  of  misty,"  muttered  the 
little  man,  as  he  opened  a  stout  box  and  began 
his  search  for  a  desired  tool.  "  Not  a  dimple  in 
her  face,  Uke  as  not  there  never  were  any,  and  her 
smile's  something  like  tears  a  good  deal  of  the 

time,  but  there's  a — there's  a Ah !  here's 

what  I  was  looking  for.  Now  let's  see  whether 
it's  Hitchings  or  Bold  that  wins  out  this  time." 


125 


- 1      CHAPTER  X 


MRS.  HITCHINGS,  raising  her  eyes  from 
her  soup-plate,  sat,  her  spoon  uplifted, 
gazing  at  the  opposite  wall. 

"  How — when  did  you  have  that  clock  set  in 
order  ? "  she  asked,  in  her  most  majestic  man- 
ner, turning  to  Mrs.  Tippett.  "  Of  course  you 
have  had  new  works.  It  must  have  been  a 
very  expensive  performance.  Did  you  think  it 
wise,  or  necessary  ?  " 

"  Isn't  it  a  corker,  though  ?  "  young  Sever- 
ance asked  her,  while  Mrs.  Tippett,  extra- 
ordinarily undisturbed,  smiled  at  his  words. 
"  We've  all  been  waiting  to  see  how  long 
'twould  be  before  you'd  notice  it,  you  and 
126 


CAFN  GID 

Mrs.  Damon.  Of  course  we  know  you've  had 
a  very  busy  day,"  and  there  was  the  faintest 
suggestion  of  surprise  in  the  glance  that  rested 
for  a  second  on  the  hats  which,  donned  before 
breakfast,  still  graced  the  heads  of  their  wear- 
ers, but  in  neither  case  at  the  angle  designed 
by  the  milliner. 

"  We  have  had  a  busy  day  and  a  hard  one," 
Mrs.  Hitchings  presumably  addressed  young 
Severance  although  her  gaze  was  still  fixed  on 
the  clock.  "  But  its  results  will  be,  we  feel 
sure,  far-reaching  and  ennobling.  It  has  been 
a  day  with  no  room  for  small  thoughts  or  petty 
matters.  May  I  ask,  Mrs.  Tippett,  who  made 
over  your  clock  ?  Do  you  think  you  will  care 
for  it  here  in  this  room  ?  " 

"Oh,  come  now,  Mrs.  Hitchings,  we're  all 
delighted  with  it,"  said  Mr.  Corcoran,  while  the 
captain  thought,  "  There !  she's  begun  her 
work  already !  " 

"  The  guests  all  seem  pleased  with  it,"  and 
Mrs.  Tippett's  air  was  quite  courageous.     "  Cap- 
tain Bold  says  it  is  evidently  a  perfect  time- 
keeper, just  as  it  used  to  be — at  home." 
127 


CAP'N  GID 

"  Ah,"  and  Mrs.  Hitchings  transferred  her 
gaze  to  the  captain,  who  met  it  calmly.  "  May 
I  inquire  whether  you  have  made  a  study  of 
clocks,  and  how  you  were  able  to  repair  this 
one,  which  was  certainly  in  a  most  deplorable 
condition  ?  "         * 

"  "Well  now,  ma'am,  it  wasn't  so  bad  as  you 
thought,"  said  the  captain  mildly,  "  not  nearly 
so  bad,  in  fact.  I've  never  made  any  scientific 
study  of  clocks,  but  I've  tinkered  them  and 
humored  them  and  sat  up  with  'em  as  any  man 
does  that  has  a  houseful  of  'em.  I  never  had 
to  call  in  extra  help  to  keep  them  in  order. 
But  with  this  old  beauty  of  Mrs.  Tippett's  I 
didn't  really  have  to  exercise  what  powers  I've 
cultivated.  All  I  did  was  to  take  my  smallest 
screw  driver,  unscrew  the  top,  and  pull  out  the 
nails  that  old  'Zekiel  had  put  in  to  keep  the 
weights  and  so  forth  in  place  during  their 
journey." 

Every  eye  was  turned  to  Mrs.  Hitchings  now, 
and  her  expression  was  well  worth  noting.  See- 
ing it  the  captain  felt  an  uneasy  sensation  in 
the  region  of  his  spine. 

128 


CAP'N  GID 

"  She'll  make  me  pay  for  this  some  way,"  he 
thought,  but  his  smile  did  not  falter. 

"You  must  be  satisfied  with  the  result  of 
your  morning's  work,"  she  said  in  her  deepest 
tone,  and  turned  abruptly  to  Mrs.  Tippett. 
"  Did  you  get  your  letter  ?  "  she  asked.  "  The 
one  that  came  in  the  first  mail  ?  " 

Captain  Bold  had  wondered  about  that  letter, 
in  spite  of  telling  himself  sternly  that  it  was 
none  of  his  business.  When  the  clock  was 
ticking  steadily  and  he  summoned  Mrs.  Tippett 
to  hear  it  and  give  her  commands  as  to  where 
it  should  be  placed,  he  was  much  troubled  to 
see  the  unmistakable  signs  of  tears.  Searching 
his  mind  for  comfort  he  had  asked  the  privilege 
of  reading  her  his  letter  from  Cousin  Marilla, 

"  There  are  things  in  it  that  I'd  like  to  get 
your  opinion  on,"  he  had  said  humbly.  "  I'm 
afraid  maybe  I'm  a  bit  warped  in  my  judgment, 
from  circumstances,  and  I'd  like  to  lay  the 
matter  before  an  unprejudiced  person." 

To  his  dismay  Mrs.  Kose  Tippett  caught  her 
lower  lip  between  her  teeth,  and  it  seemed  to 
him  a  minute  before  she  answered  him. 
129 


CAFN  GID 

"  I — I'd  be  so  glad  to  help  you  if  I  can,"  she 
said,  quite  steadily,  but  not  looking  at  the  cap- 
tain, "  but  to-day,"  she  was  smoothing  a  pillow- 
slip which  lay  over  her  arm  and  he  saw  that 
her  fingers  trembled,  "  to-day  I'm  afraid  I  can't. 
I  must  go  out  in  a  few  minutes  to  attend  to 
some  unexpected  business,  and — would  to-mor- 
row do,  Captain  Bold,  or  would  that  be  too 
late  ?  I  am  afraid  my  opinion  wiQ  be  worth 
very  little.    I  am  not  at  all  clever,  you  know." 

"  Your  opinion  is  the  one  I  want,"  said  the 
captain  stubbornly ; "  yours  will  be  plenty  clever 
enough  for  me,  and  to-morrow  wiU  do  just  as 
well  as  to-day — better,  most  likely,  for  I'll  have 
done  some  thinking  in  the  meantime,  and  got 
my  ideas  sorted  out.  Now  you  just  say  the 
word  where  this  timepiece  is  to  be  put  and  I 
won't  trouble  you  another  minute." 

She  had  looked  at  him  then,  so  gratefully 
that  the  captain  felt  a  curious  sensation  at  the 
back  of  his  throat. 

"  Poor  little  thing ! "  he  muttered  as  he  fol- 
lowed her  to  the  dining-room,  and  again  as  he 
tapped  the  wall  for  suitable  spots  to  place  his 
130 


CAFN  GID 

screws.  "  Poor  little  woman !  I'd  like  to  know 
who  or  what's  making  trouble  for  her!  I'd 
like,"  and  the  captain's  mouth  was  twisted  as  he 
bored  the  first  hole,  "  I'd — like — to — see  him — 
or  her — there ! " 

The  same  desire  came  to  him  again  as  he 
looked  at  her,  flushing  under  the  keen  eyes  of 
her  inquisitor,  that  evening. 

"  Drat  that  Hitchings  woman,  why  can't  she 
let  the  poor  little  soul  alone  ?  "  he  said  to  him- 
self, and  straightened  in  his  chair. 

"  Speaking  of  clocks  and  other  inventions," 
he  said  so  loud  that  Mrs.  Hitchings  involun- 
tarily turned  to  look  at  him,  "  we  have  some- 
thing up  in  Felling,  Vermont,  that  would  be 
hard  to  match.  It's  a  clock  that's  run  for  two 
hundred  years  without  ever  missing  an  hour. 
Yes,  ma'am,  that's  the  truth." 

Mrs.  Hitchings  fixed  him  with  an  unbelieving 
eye. 

"  How  was  the  necessary  cleaning  attended 
to  ?  "  she  boomed. 

"  'Twas  all  done  between  striking  times,"  said 
the  captain,  charmed  with  the  success  of  his 
131 


CAFN  GID 

bait.  "You  see  she  belonged  to  old  Squire 
Hargood's  grandsire,  and  the  men  folks  from 
generation  to  generation  have  made  it  a  matter 
of  conscience  to  keep  the  old  eight-day  in  order, 
so  her  record  wouldn't  be  broken.  There's  a 
special  kind  of  feather  the  Hargoods  have 
always  used  for  oiling  her,  and  they  use  it  to 
this  day  ;  and  they've  got  a  miniature  blower 
that  they  blow  out  every  speck  of  dust  with. 
She  isn't  so  much  to  look  at  as  some,  but  she's 
a  regular  wonder  for  time." 

"  "Why  do  you  call  a  clock  *  she '  ?  "  asked 
Mrs.  Hitchings. 

The  captain  had  stolen  a  glance  at  Mrs.  Tip- 
pett  and  had  seen  that,  taking  advantage  of  the 
diversion,  she  had  pushed  Jier  chair  a  little 
away  from  the  table. 

"Why,  I  don't  know  as  I  could  give  any 
good  reason,"  he  said  slowly,  and  with  apparent 
reluctance.  "  You  see  anything  that  you  have  to 
coax  and  humor  and  er — there,  I  guess  I've  put 
my  foot  in  it !  "  and  the  captain  bent  his  head 
to  meet  the  oncoming  storm  with  joy,  as  Mrs. 
Bose  Tippett  slipped  unhindered  from  her  place. 
132 


CAFN  GID 

"When  Mrs,  Hitchings  had  finished  what  she 
had  to  say  and  Miss  Rawson  had  added  a  few 
stinging  words,  there  was  a  pause,  and  Amanda, 
proffering  charlotte  russe,  was  sharply  interro- 
gated. 

"  Where  is  your  mistress  ?  "  demanded  Mrs. 
Hitchings. 

"  She  has  a  headache  and  she  goes  to  lie 
down,"  said  Amanda  clearly,  "  and  she  said 
would  the  company  please  excuse  her." 

"  I  will  go  to  her  room  as  soon  as  I  have 
finished  my  dinner,"  said  Mrs.  Hitchings. 

She  was  firm,  but  Amanda  was  firmer.  She 
met  the  enemy  without  fear. 

"  Maggie  is  looking  out  for  her,"  she  an- 
nounced so  that  all  might  hear,  "  and  wiU  at- 
tend to  keeping  her  quiet.     Her  door  is  locked." 

In  majestic  silence  Mrs.  Hitchings  gazed  at 
her.  Amanda's  shoulders  twitched  and  her  eyes 
snapped  as  she  went  her  way  around  the  table. 

"  A  very  saucy  creature,  that  Swede,"  came 

from  Mrs.  Hitchings,  just  before  Amanda  passed 

out  of  hearing.     "  I  shall  speak  to  Mrs.  Tippett 

to-morrow  about  having  her  dismissed  at  once." 

133 


CAFN  GID 

"  I  pray  heaven  that  you'll  do  nothing  of  the 
sort,"  snapped  Mr.  Faraham ;  "  that  girl  makes 
the  coffee,  I'm  told,  and  it's  the  one  perfectly 
satisfactory  thing  here,  to  my  mind.  I  trust 
you  won't  let  a  small  personal  grudge  affect  the 
comfort  of  the  whole  household." 

Once  more  a  majestic  silence  enveloped  Mrs. 
Hitchings,  and  while  it  endured  chairs  were 
hastily  shoved  back  and  their  occupants  with 
one  excuse  or  another  left  the  room. 

"  You  aren't  strong  on  evasion,  are  you  ?  " 
and  Mr.  Famham  looked  at  the  captain  as  if 
for  the  first  time  he  derived  some  pleasure  from 
the  sight.  "  Your  remai'ks  about  the  feminine 
gender — I  couldn't  have  done  better  if  I'd  been 
bent  on  making  trouble." 

The  captain  looked  the  picture  of  innocence 
as  he  surveyed  the  pleased  face  of  the  dyspeptic. 

"  I  wasn't  calculating  on  making  trouble," 
he  said  mildly ;  "  you  don't  think  it'll  be  serious, 
do  you  ?  " 

The  semblance  of  a  smile  broadened  the  thin, 
sallow  face. 

"  Serious,"  and  there  came  the  unwonted 
134 


CAP'N  GID 

sound  of  a  laugh ;  "  oh,  it  won't  be  so  serious 
but  what  they'll  keep  on  speaking  to  you." 

And  as  Mr.  Farnham,  still  grimly  smiling, 
crossed  the  hall  the  captain,  turning,  found  on 
Mr.  Corcoran's  face  an  expression  that  matched 
his  own  feeling  ;  and  as  the  broker's  left  eyelid 
drooped  the  captain's  right  eye  was  momen- 
tarily veiled. 

"  I  don't  know  but  I'll  take  a  hack  at  Shake- 
speare myself,"  said  Mr.  Corcoran,  "  if  you'll 
let  me  go  along.     What's  the  play  to-night  ?  " 

" '  AU's  Well  that  Ends  Well,'  "  said  the  cap- 
tain, "  and  I'd  be  pleased  to  have  your  com- 
pany." 


135 


CHAPTER  XI 


IT  was  indeed  fortunate  for  Captain  Gideon 
Bold  that  the  continued  storm  of  rain  and 
wind  made  it  natural  enough  to  spend  part  of 
the  next  day  indoors,  while  a  suffrage  meeting 
of  great  interest  carried  Mrs.  Hitchings,  Mrs. 
Damon  and  Miss  Eawson  out  of  the  house  soon 
after  breakfast. 

It  was  about  ten  o'clock  when  the  captain 
descended  from  the  attic  where  he  had  been 
busy  for  an  hour,  and  seeing  that  the  door  of 
Mrs.  Tippett's  little  sitting-room  stood  ajar, 
ventured  to  knock  on  it. 
136 


CAFN  GID 

"  I'm  mending,  you  see ;  come  right  in,"  said 
Mrs.  Tippet  from  the  low  chair  in  which  she 
sat,  her  lap  full  of  table-napkins.  "  I  don't  un- 
derstand Tiow  these  wear  out  so  fast.  Just  look 
at  that  hole,"  and  she  held  a  napkin  toward 
him.     "  What  can  make  such  holes  ?  " 

"  Looks  to  me  as  if  Mrs.  Hitchings  might  have 
bitten  it  out,"  said  the  captain  after  a  grave 
inspection.  "Where's  the  material  that  was 
there  gone,  unless  somebody's  chewed  it  up  ? 
Don't  keep  a  dog,  do  you  ?  I  haven't  seen  one 
around  anywhere." 

"  No,  Mrs.  Hitchings  said  I  mustn't  in  a  house 
like  this,"  and  Mrs.  Tippett  looked  wistfully 
past  the  captain  out  of  the  window.  "  I'd  had 
a  dog  from  my  home  days,  a  Gordon  setter — 
Jim.  He  was  a  darling.  I  gave  him  away — and 
I've  missed  him  every  day  since.  Perhaps  you 
think  that's  foolish." 

"  Foolish  ?  Nothing  of  the  sort,"  the  captain 
shook  the  thought  from  him  so  vigorously  that 
his  chair  complained  with  a  loud  creak.  "  No 
better  friends  in  this  world  than  dogs  !  I  lost 
mine  six  months  ago,  and  I've  mourned  him 
137 


CAP'N  GED 

sincerely.  Haven't  been  able  to  make  up  my 
mind  to  replace  him,  not  yet.  He  had 
pneumonia  and  died;  that  was  the  way  he 
went,  poor  old  Koy !  Well,  well,  I  mustn't 
talk  over  past  troubles.  You  have  plenty  on 
your  hands  as  it  is.  May  I  read  you  the  letter 
I  spoke  of  ?    Thank  you." 

The  captain  adjusted  his  glasses  and  took  the 
crisp,  crackling  sheets — three  of  them — from 
their  envelope. 

"  I  don't  know  where  Cousin  Marilla  gets  this 
paper,"  he  said  ruminatively.  "  It  doesn't  seem 
to  hold  much  ink.  There  are  parts  of  the 
words  I  have  to  guess  at,  as  best  I  can.  I  have 
about  as  hard  a  time  with  them  as  she  has  with 
my  abbreviations.  Here's  the  part  of  the  let- 
ter I  want  to  read  you. 

" '  I  am  glad  you  are  having  such  a  pleasant 
time.  I  should  have  answered  your  last  letter 
sooner  if  I  hadn't  been  so  busy.  The  Hillside 
Gleaners  have  met  here  within  a  week;  last 
Friday  they  came  and  you  know  what  thut 
means.'  I  do,"  interpolated  the  captain — "  ah- 
hum — '  what  that  means,  and  the  minister  and 
138 


CAFN  GID 

his  wife  have  been  here  to  tea.  Their  tastes 
aren't  a  bit  similar,  as  I've  noticed  and  spoken 
of  before.' — That's  so,"  murmured  the  captain, 
"  she  has,  more  than  once.  '  It  seems  to  me 
they  ought  to  have  thought  of  that  when  they 
began  to  court.  It  makes  it  dreadfully  hard 
for  the  folks  that  entertain  them,  his  not  want- 
ing any  sugar,  scarcely,  and  her  Uking  every- 
thing sweetened  way  up.  "Well,  at  any  rate 
they  said  they  had  a  good  time,  and  I've  got 
about  rested  from  it  now.  'Twas  last  Tuesday 
night  they  came,  and  while  they  were  here  they 
spoke  about  you  and  that  business  of  the  drink- 
ing fountain. 

"  '  It  seems  they've  all  begun  to  back  down, 
Henry  Gaynes  at  the  head  of  the  line.  If 
there  should  be  another  Town  Meeting  called, 
as  some  say  might  be  done,  I  believe  they'd 
vote  to  accept  your  plan  and  put  you  head  of 
the  committee  as  they've  done  in  times  past. 
I  understand  they're  short  of  funds,  and ' — the 
rest  of  it  doesn't  matter,"  and  the  captain 
folded  the  letter  and  replaced  it  in  its  envelope. 
"  Now  what  would  you  advise  me  to  do  ?  " 
139 


CAFN  GID 

"Why,  I  don't  understand,"  and  Mrs.  Tip- 
pett's  delicate  eyebrows  were  raised  in  per- 
plexity. "  Is  it  a  question  of  your  going  home. 
Captain  Bold?" 

"  Yes,  that's  it,  that's  the  question,"  said  the 
captain.  "  Shall  I  run  back,  as  if  the  minute 
they  were  willing  to  do  as  I  said  I'd  got  over 
being  mad,  or  shall  I  stop  away  a  while  longer 
and  let  it  sink  in  on  them  that  there's  a  prin- 
ciple involved?  I've  been  away  over  three 
weeks." 

"  What  is  the  principle,  please  ?  "  asked  Mrs. 
Tippett  gently. 

"The  principle  is — the  principle,"  the  cap- 
tain's voice  faltered ;  all  at  once  his  bubble  of 
innocent  conceit,  pricked  by  the  simple  ques- 
tion, coUapsed.  "There  isn't  any  principle," 
he  said  slowly,  "  excepting  that  I'm  older  than 
most  of  them  and  used  to  having  my  own  way. 
It's  time  somebody  spoke  to  me  just  as  you 
have." 

"  Oh,  but  I  didn't  know — I'm  sure  there  is 
much  more  to  be  said  on  your  side,"  and  Mrs. 
Tippett  smiled  at  him  kindly.  "  I've  heard  of 
140 


CAFN  GID 

some  of  the  things  you  have  done  since  you 
came  here,  Captain  Bold,  and  I  know  how 
you've  helped  me.  I'm  sure  your  home  town 
has  had  every  reason  to  give  you  its  trust  and 
gratitude.  And  they  wouldn't  put  the  drink- 
ing fountain  in  the  place  you  suggested  ?  How 
foolish  of  them  !  " 

"  Right  out  in  the  middle  of  the  road,  where 
there  isn't  a  sign  of  shade,  they're  bound  to  put 
it,"  said  the  captain.  "  An  awfully  hot  place 
for  man  and  beast.  And  'tisn't  just  this  time ; 
I  had  to  fight  till  I  was  'most  worn  out  to  keep 
them  from  appropriating  money  to  have  the 
old  portraits  of  Felling  men  that  hang  in  the 
Town  Hall  copied  in  crayons  by  a  man  from 
Connecticut  who  came  around  and  got  a  lot  of 
folks  to  part  from  their  money  in  exchange  for 
staring  likenesses  of  their  grandparents.  And 
I  came  near  having  a  fit  of  sickness  over  the 
Library  appropriation ;  they  wanted  to  tie  it 
up  so  that  the  trustees  couldn't  use  it  for  any 
purpose  but  heating.  I  pointed  out  to  them 
that  if  the  winter  proved  to  be  mild,  and  less 
coal  was  needed,  there  were  some  other  things 
141 


CAFN  GID 

the  Library  could  have  as  well  as  not,  but  I 
had  to  keep  pointing  it  out  till  I  was  hoarse  as 
a  crow." 

"  It  seems  to  me  they  haven't  been  without 
you  long  enough,"  said  Mrs.  Tippett  slowly. 
"I  feel  quite  sure  of  that.  They  need  more 
discipline,  I  think.  And  yet — I  can't  see  how 
any  one  with  a  home  can  bear  to  stay  in  a 
boarding-house. " 

"  Nonsense !  Come  now  I "  Captain  Bold 
had  the  air  of  one  heartening  a  wistful  little 
girl.  "This  is  no  ordinary  boarding-house. 
Not  that  I've  ever  been  in  one  to  stay  before, 
but  I've  heard  a  lot  about  them.  "Why,  that 
room  of  mine  has  aU  the  comforts  anybody 
could  want ;  it's  warm  and  light  and  big." 

"And  lonely,  sometimes,"  added  Mrs.  Tip- 
pett. "You  can't  help  missing  your  lifelong 
friends,  and  your  home." 

"  I'm  having  a  splendid  time,"  said  the  cap- 
tain stoutly.  "  Of  course  I  get  to  thinking 
once  in  a  while ;  anybody  does." 

"  Yes,  anybody  does,"  said  Mrs.  Tippett  softly. 

"But  let  me  tell  you  something,"  said  the 
142 


CAFN  GID 

captain.  "  It's  a  thing  I  never  speak  of — but — 
why,  up  home  sometimes  I  get  to  thinking,  too, 
thinking  of  the  sea,  and  my  old  boat  and — but 
there,  it's  my  home,  Felling  is,  so  I  put  the 
other  thoughts  away.  I  can  do  it,  most  al- 
ways." 

"  I  shall  be  very  sorry  to  have  you  go,"  said 
Mrs.  Tippett  with  a  little  sigh. 

The  captain  glanced  at  her  graceful  head 
bent  over  the  mending  basket.  It  disturbed 
him  to  have  something  said  by  Mr.  Farnham 
come  into  his  mind  just  then. 

"  You're  a  regular  gold-mine,"  the  dyspeptic 
had  told  him  with  a  sardonic  grin.  "  Between 
having  the  best  room  at  a  stiff  price  and  doing 
carpentry  and  upholstering  free  of  charge,  and 
taking  the  landlady  and  her  guests  to  enter- 
tainments, you're  a  valuable  addition  to  any 
household." 

"  I  needn't  have  taken  the  room  if  I  hadn't 
wanted  it,"  the  captain  had  answered  quickly, 
"  and  so  far  all  my  landlady  has  been  willing 
to  go  to  is  one  short  operetta.  The  little  tinker- 
ing I'm  allowed  to  do  is  a  great  pleasure." 
143 


CAP'N  GID 

But  even  now  he  hated  to  remember  the 
sound  of  Mr.  Famham's  laugh. 

"K  I  should  decide  to  go,  no  doubt  there 
would  be  half  a  dozen  desirable  parties  after 
the  room  as  soon  as  my  plans  were  known,"  he 
said  with  eyes  on  Mrs.  Tippett's  face. 

She  shook  her  head  but  her  glance  met  the 
captain's  frankly. 

"  No,"  she  said,  "  I'm  afraid  not.  You  see  the 
price  of  the  room  is  high,  but  Mrs.  Hitchings 
says  I  must  not  let  it  for  any  less ;  she  says  it 
would  lower  the  tone  of  the  house." 

The  captain  opened  and  shut  his  mouth  twice, 
with  commendable  self-control.  He  opened  it 
for  the  third  time  and  his  wrath  exploded. 

"  You'll  have  to  excuse  me,  Mrs.  Tippett,  but 
I  can't  abide  that  woman !  What  business  is  it 
of  hers,  anyway  ?  "  The  captain's  face  was  dull 
red  and  he  fairly  bristled  with  indignation  as 
he  shot  out  the  question. 

Mrs.  Tippett  looked  at  him,  hesitated  for  a 
moment  and  then  turning  her  face  quite  away 
as  she  bent  over  the  mending  basket,  she  an- 
swered him. 


CAFN  GID 

"Mrs.  Hitchings  has  lent  me  money,"  she 
said  quietly ;  "  she  offered  it  freely,  to  start  me 
in  this  business.  When  I  first  met  her  I  had 
come  here  to  find  some  sort  of  work.  Mrs. 
Hitchings  was  boarding  at  the  house  to  which 
I  had  been  sent.  She  is  a  woman  of  large  ex- 
perience and  ample  means,  and  she  was  not 
contented  in  that  house ;  she  doesn't  wish  the 
care  of  a  home ;  she  saw  the  opportunity  for 
me,  and  gave  it  to  me." 

"She  wouldn't  be  contented  in  any  house 
unless  'twas  an  asylum  for  the  feeble-minded, 
and  she  was  in  full  charge,"  grumbled  the  cap- 
tain. "I'U  wager  she  saw  the  opportunity — 
for  herself." 

"  Do  you  mean  she  found  one  feeble-minded 
person  ?  "  and  Mrs.  Tippett's  lips  curved  into  a 
real  smile  that  delighted  her  visitor. 

"You  know  I  don't  mean  anything  of  the 
sort,"  he  chuckled.  "  But  you  must  know  you're 
too  easy-going  and  sweet-tempered  and " 

"  Excuse  me,  Mrs.  Tippett,"  came  Amanda's 
voice  following  a  loud  rap  on  the  door,  "  can  I 
have  them  napkins  now  ?  " 
145 


CAP'N  GID 

"  I'd  better  be  going,"  said  the  captain  rising 
hurriedly.  "Thank  you  for  your  advic5e.  I 
shan't  make  any  change  at  present." 

"  I  was  putting  it  pretty  strong,"  he  muttered 
as  he  mounted  the  stairs  to  his  room.  "  If  I'd 
said  one-third  as  much  as  that  to  the  Widow 
Mason  I'd  have  been  an  engaged  man  inside  of 
five  minutes,  and  then  where  would  Cousin 
MariUa  have  been  ?  I  owe  her  a  home,  after 
all  the  years  she's  taken  care  of  me,  and  she 
hasn't  another  place  to  go,  and  she  wouldn't 
brook  another  woman  on  the  place.  Not  that 
Mrs.  Tippett  is  like  anybody  else.  She's 
so " 

The  captain  stood  in  the  middle  of  his  room, 
his  coat  on,  hat  in  hand,  while  his  mind  dwelt 
on  the  various  ways  in  which  Mrs.  Rose  Tippett 
charmed  the  eye  and  warmed  the  heart.  Sud- 
denly he  caught  sight  of  his  own  reflection  in 
the  mirror. 

"  Bah ! "  he  muttered,  turning  away.    "  She 

wouldn't  look  at  me  even  if  I  were  a  marrying 

man.    The  reason  she's  kind  and  sweet  to  me 

is  because  I'm  such  a  countryman  she  dares  to, 

146 


CAFN  GID 

knowing  I  won't  take  advantage.  "Well,  I 
won't,  so  there's  an  end  of  that.  And  next 
good  chance  I  get  I'll  tell  her  a  bit  more  about 
Marilla,  how  she's  dependent  on  me,  and  so  on, 
and  mention  that  I'd  never  think  of  making 
any  change,  on  Manila's  account.  Then  when 
it's  all  clear  to  her  she'll  feel  free  to  accept  an 
invitation  from  me,  now  and  then,  with  the 
young  folks,  knowing  it's  a  kindness  to  me. 
By  George,  I'd  like  to  know  what  made  her  cry 
yesterday.  I  emptied  my  pocket  inside  out, 
and  never  got  so  much  as  a  look  at  hers  !  '* 

Eegardless  of  the  instructions  in  his  Cousin 
Marilla's  Book  of  Etiquette  he  jammed  his  hat 
down  over  his  forehead  and  strode  down  the 
stairs  and  out  into  the  cooling  dampness  of  the 
street. 


147 


CHAPTER  Xn 


**  TSN'T  there  something  I  can  do  to  help  out 
A  this  morning  ?  "  asked  the  captain.  "  I'm 
not  going  to  the  dentist's  to-day,  and  it  isn't 
much  of  a  morning  to  walk,  with  this  steady 
rain  coming  down.  I'd  like  to  be  of  service 
indoors  if  I  could.  Can't  you  set  me  to  work  ? 
It  seems  to  me  we're  having  our  full  share  of 
spring  rains." 

He  stood  in  the  doorway  of  Mrs.  Tippett's 
sitting-room.     Mrs.   Tippett  herself    was  pin- 
ning on  her  hat  and  had  an  air  of  haste ;  evi- 
dently he  would  not  be  asked  to  sit  down  ;  he 
148 


CAFN  GID 

slipped  a  couple  of  letters  into  his  pocket  with  a 
twinge  of  regret. 

"  I  have  to  go  down  to  the  market  on  a  very 
disagreeable  errand,"  said  Mrs.  Tippett,  "and 
I'm  sorry,  Captain  Bold,  but  I  can't  think  of 
anything  more  for  you  to  do.  You  see  you've 
done  so  much  already.  There  isn't  a  tottering 
chair  leg  or  a  spleeny  clock  left  in  the  house, 
thanks  to  you.  I  only  wish  I  could  set  the 
marketman  to  rights  as  you  have  done  with 
the  house." 

"Haven't  done  a  thing  but  what  every 
countryman  does  in  his  own  home  unless  he's 
an  incompetent,"  said  the  captain.  "  And  for 
that  matter,  why  can't  I  attend  to  the  market 
difficulty?  I'm  going  right  along  with  you. 
I'd  like  nothing  better  than  a  little  set-to  with 
somebody  ;  it'll  take  the  chill  out  of  the  air." 

"  But  you  said  it  wasn't  a  good  morning  to 
walk,"  demurred  Mrs.  Tippett,  "and  it  is  a 
long  walk  to  the  market." 

"The  longer  the  better,"  asserted  the  cap- 
tain. "  It's  one  thing  to  start  out  to  walk  be- 
cause you've  nothing  else  to  do,  and  it's  quite 
149 


CAP*N  GID 

another  thing  to  walk  with  an  object  in  view, 
and  a  good  one  at  that.  I'll  have  my  coat  down 
here  in  a  minute,  and  an  umbrella ;  you  won't 
need  to  carry  one ;  mine  is  big  enough  for  two." 

As  he  hurried  up-stairs  the  captain  was  con- 
scious that  it  was  not  the  object  in  view  at  the 
end  of  the  walk  which  gave  him  such  a  brisk 
and  cheerful  feeling ;  it  was  the  very  feminine 
object  in  a  brown  rainy-day  suit  and  a  hat  with 
a  long  plume  curling  against  red-gold  hair. 

"  Poor  little  thing,"  he  said  to  himself  as  he 
put  on  his  coat.  "Needs  somebody  to  look 
after  her.  This  is  a  hard  world  for  a  woman 
left  alone.  It's  the  duty  of  every  man  to  help 
them  out  whenever  he  can — that  is,  in  reason." 

His  reservation  had  nothing  to  do  with  Mrs. 
Rose  Tippett  with  whom  a  few  moments  later 
he  was  avoiding  the  puddles,  and  whose  brown 
suit  and  hat  he  was  gallantly  shielding  ;  it  was 
entirely  concerned  with  Mrs.  Dora  Mason  of 
Felling,  Vermont,  from  whom  he  had  that 
morning  received  one  of  the  two  letters  con- 
signed to  his  pocket. 

The  unregenerate  marketman  who  had  been 
150 


CAFN  GID 

sending  tough  meat  to  385  Walnut  Street  was 
speedily  brought  to  book  by  the  captain, 

"  You  let  me  attend  to  him,  please.  Dealing 
with  an  unprincipled  man  is  no  work  for  a 
lady,"  he  said,  and  had  firmly  set  aside  all  the 
objections  Mrs.  Tippett  could  offer. 

"  I've  had  to  do  it  for  a  year  and  a  half,  Cap- 
tain Bold,"  she  told  him. 

"  All  the  more  reason  you  should  not  have  it 
to  do  now,"  and  such  was  the  finality  of  his 
tone  that  she  said  no  more. 

"I'm  one  of  Mrs.  Tippett's  boarders,"  the 
captain  said  bluntly,  "and  I  want  to  know 
what  you  mean  by  sending  her  inferior  meat 
and  charging  her  the  price  for  the  very  best 
quality  ?  I'm  not  only  one  of  her  boarders, 
my  man,  but  I'm  a  justice  of  the  peace  as  well. 
There's  a  name  for  what  you've  been  doing. 
Would  you  care  to  hear  it  and  what's  liable  to 
happen  when  a  man  deserves  it,  or  shall  we 
give  you  another  chance  ?  " 

The  marketman's  apologies  and  explanations 
were  so  abject  and  profuse  that  at  last  Mrs. 
Tippett's  boarder  stopped  them. 
151 


CAFN  GID 

"Your  customer  is  for  giving  you  another 
trial  and  letting  the  past  go,  I  see,"  said  the 
captain,  who  must  certainly  have  been  versed 
in  the  language  of  backs,  as  Mrs.  Rose  Tippett's 
face  had  been  turned  away  from  the  market- 
man  and  her  valiant  boarder  for  some  moments. 
"Now  what  can  you  do  to-day  to  make 
amends  ?  " 

"  There's  a  beautiful  roast  here,  sir,"  said  the 
marketman,  "  but  the  team's  gone,  and " 

"  Wrap  it  up  and  I'll  take  it,"  commanded 
the  captain  and  a  moment  later  he  announced 
himself  ready  to  depart. 

"You'll  have  no  more  trouble  with  that 
man,"  he  said  as  he  unfurled  his  umbrella  and 
adjusted  the  bundle  at  a  comfortable  angle. 
"  There's  nothing  like  a  mention  of  the  law  to  a 
tradesman  who's  indulging  in  a  little  sharp 
practice.  He  has  a  large  family,  he  tells  me, 
and  he's  been  trying  to  make  money  too  fast. 
He'll  be  all  right  now.  Any  more  errands  on 
hand  ?    I'm  just  in  the  spirit." 

"  No  more  errands,  thank  you,"  said  Mrs. 
Tippett.  "  I'm  ashamed  to  think  I  let  you  fight 
162 


CAFN  GID 

this  battle  for  me.  I  begin  to  feel  as  if  I  were 
really  what  Ruth  Temple  calls  herself  and  me, 
a  '  weak  sister.'  " 

"  Nothing  of  the  sort,"  said  the  captain. 
"  Why,  up  home  I'm  in  the  habit  of  helping  out 
in  aU  such  ways  whenever  there's  a  chance.  I 
have  a  letter  in  my  pocket  this  minute  from  a 
woman  asking  me  to  attend  to  something  for 
her  that  is  forty  times  worse  than  threatening 
a  marketman  with  the  processes  of  law.  I've 
a  mind  to  tell  you  about  it ;  in  fact  I  had  in- 
tended to  read  you  the  letter  and  ask  your  ad- 
vice if  I  hadn't  found  you  so  fuU  of  business 
this  morning." 

"  Won't  you  tell  me  about  it  ?  "  asked  Mrs. 
Tippett,  as  the  captain  paused  and  glanced 
hopefully  at  her.  "  Although,  as  you  know,  my 
advice  is  not  rated  highly." 

"  'Tis  by  me,"  said  the  captain.  "  It's  like 
this ;  the  one  who  wrote  me  is  a  widow  with 
one  son,  a  kind  of  a  wild  boy,  and  she  wants  me 
to  write  him  a  letter  telling  him  how  he's 
breaking  his  mother's  heart  and  saying  that  I 
know  what  he  needs  is  a  man's  guiding  hand, 
153 


CAFN  GID 

and  that  as  soon  as  I  get  home  to  Polling — 
and  she'd  like  to  know  when  that  will  be,  she 
says — I  will  try  to  keep  him  in  sight  and  exer- 
cise a  good  influence  over  him." 

The  corners  of  Mrs.  Rose  Tippett's  mouth 
were  twitching. 

""What  would  you  like  my  advice  about, 
Captain  Bold  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Well,"  his  face  was  very  red,  but  he  looked 
straight  at  her,  "  as  long  as  you  don't  know  the 
one  who  wrote  the  letter  I'd  like  to  ask  you  if 
you  don't  think  it  would  seem  a  little  as  if  I 
were — were  contemplating  assuming  a  position 
that  I'm  not  ?    Do  I  make  myself  clear  ?  " 

"  I  think  if  you  wrote  such  a  letter  as  has 
been  suggested  to  you,  and  wrote  it  in  good 
faith,"  said  Mrs.  Tippett  slowly,  "  your  Cousin 
Marilla  might  have  reason  to  feel  that  her 
position  in  your  household  was  very  pre- 
carious." 

"  There  I "  and  the  captain's  voice  was  full  of 

gratitude.     "  You've  put  it  just  right.    Exactly 

right.    And  I  can't  have  Marilla  made  uneasy 

after  all  the  years  she's  taken  care  of  me. 

.  154 


CAFN  GID 

'Tisn't  fair.  Now  the  question  arises,  what 
shaU  I  do  about  it  ?  " 

"  Oh,  that  is  a  point  you  will  have  to  settle 
for  yourself,"  said  Mrs.  Tippett.  "  No  doubt 
you  will  think  of  just  the  right  thing  to  do. 
You  will  of  course  have  to  answer  the  letter." 

"  I  suppose  I  shall,"  said  the  captain  dubi- 
ously. "  I've  known  her  all  her  married  life. 
She  isn't  Felling  born,  but  her  husband  was  a 
good  friend  of  mine.  He's  been  dead  six  years 
and  she's  missed  him,  I  know,  though  she  didn't 
make  him  so  very  comfortable  while  he  lived. 
The  boy's  missed  him,  too." 

There  seemed  to  be  nothing  for  Mrs.  Tippett 
to  say,  although  the  captain  paused  and  looked 
at  her. 

"  I'll  teU  you  what  I  might  do,"  he  offered 
the  suggestion  doubtfully  after  a  moment's 
silence.  "  I  might  write  to  Cousin  Marilla,  en- 
closing the  letter  and  ask  her  to  say  to  the 
other  one — they're  old  friends — ask  her  to  say 
to  her  that  much  as  I  appreciate  the  honor  and 
— and  esteem  that's  been  shown  me  I  don't  feel 
competent  to  give  the  boy  the  guiding  hand  he 
155 


CAFN  GID 

needs.  And  say  to  Marilla  that  as  I  know 
women  have  a  more  delicate  manner  of  adjust- 
ing things  than  men,  I'll  leave  it  in  her  hands 
to  explain  my  feelings  to  the  other  one.  Is 
that  clear  to  you  ?  " 

"  It  is  exceedingly  clear,"  said  Mrs.  Tippet. 
"  i)o  you  think  your  Cousin  Marilla  would  be 
willing  to  undertake  that  commission  for  you  ?  " 

They  had  reached  the  steps  of  the  house  on 
"Walnut  Street,  incredible  as  it  seemed  to  the 
captain.  He  stopped  deliberately  and  being 
under  the  umbrella  Mrs.  Tippett  also  stopped, 
perforce. 

"  I  think  she'd  be  more  than  willing,"  said 
the  captain.  "I  think  she'd  be  overjoyed. 
She's  been  saying  for — well,  for  some  time — 
that  she  thought  Mrs. — the  other  one,  ought 
to  go  to  live  with  her  brother,  who  is  an  old 
bachelor  and  alone  in  the  world.  He's  offered 
to  take  her  and  the  boy  again  and  again.  He 
lives  twenty  miles  from  Felling." 

"  Then,"  said  Mrs.  Rose  Tippett  with  a  smile 
which  made  the  captain  oblivious  to  everything 
else,  "  entirely  on  your  Cousin  Manila's  account, 
156 


CAP'N  GID 

it  seems  to  me  your  plan  might  be  a  good  one. 
Miss  Kawson  has  opened  the  door  for  us,  and  I 
think  she  is  wondering  why  we  stand  here." 

"  Let  her  wonder,"  said  the  captain  under  his 
breath,  "  and  I  shan't  hand  over  this  bundle  till 
she's  out  of  the  way,  not  if  I  have  to  wait  till 
she's  gone  to  bed." 

"  Have  you  two  been  shopping  ?  "  asked  Miss 
Kawson,  her  eyes  on  the  captain's  package. 

"  Shopping  ?  No,  ma'am,"  and  her  intended 
victim  started  up-stairs,  the  "  beautiful  roast " 
still  under  his  arm.  "  I  had  a  little  matter  of 
business  to  attend  to,  and  by  the  way,  as  you 
might  say,  I  got  something  that  should  have 
been  sent  here  long  ago.  I  thank  you  very 
much,  Mrs.  Tippett,  for  helping  me  out  as  you 
have,  and  I  hope  some  day  I  can  do  as  much 
for  you." 

"Did  he  have  to  go  out  in  all  this  rain 
to  attend  to  business  ? ''  asked  Miss  Kawson 
sharply. 

"He  seemed  to  think  he  must,"  said  Mrs. 
Tippett,  "  and  you  know  there  is  very  little 
use  in  arguing  with  a  man  over  the  weather." 
157 


CAP'N  GID 

"  There's  no  use  arguing  with  them  over  any- 
thing," snapped  Miss  Rawson,  "  for  the  reason 
that  they  don't  know  how  to  argue.  The 
bottom  of  your  skirt  is  soaking  at  the  back. 
Why  didn't  you  lift  it  ?  I  notice  you  had  no 
umbrella  to  carry." 


158 


CHAPTER  Xm 


"  T  'D  like  to  know  the  name  of  that  piece," 
X  said  the  captain,  "  and  then  I'd  admire  to 
hear  it  again — if  not  to-night,  some  other 
time." 

"Did  it  make  you  think  of  anything  in 
particular  ? "  asked  Ruth  Temple,  leaning  her 
elbows  on  the  piano  and  looking  over  the  music- 
rack  at  the  captain,  sunk  in  the  depths  of  the 
sleepy-hollow  chair  in  her  little  sitting-room. 
"  I'd  like  to  know  that  first,  please." 

"  Just  as  soon  tell  you  as  not,"  said  the  cap- 
tain. "  It  made  me  think  of  a  common  thing, 
159 


CAFN  GID 

because  that's  the  only  kind  of  thing  I'm  used 
to.    I  haven't  much  imagination,  I  guess." 

He  looked  at  her  humbly,  bespeaking  her 
leniency,  but  she  only  smiled  back  at  him, 
waiting. 

"  Sometimes  of  a  hot  summer  afternoon  I 
lose  myself,  out  on  the  south  porch,"  said  the 
captain  slowly,  "  take  a  kind  of  a  cat-nap ;  and 
while  I'm  half  asleep  and  half  awake  I'U  hear 
a  *  tap,  tap,  tap — tap,  tap  ' — like  that  on  the 
tin  roof  over  my  head.  First  it's  sort  of  sooth- 
ing, and  then  it  begins  to  drum  a  little,  and  I 
hear  a  mutter  of  thunder,  and  all  of  a  sudden  I 
wake  up  and  hear  Marilla  scurrying  over  the 
house  shutting  windows,  and  I  have  to  draw 
in  close  to  the  wall.  Then  it'll  boom  and  pelt 
for  a  few  minutes  and  then  the  clouds  roll  off 
to  the  north ;  you  understand  we're  just  getting 
the  edge  of  the  shower,  not  the  full  heft  of  it, 
and  then  the  rain  stops  after  a  while,  and  the 
sun  comes  out,  and  all  I  hear  is  a  little  bit  of  a 
'  tap,  tap — tap,'  coming  from  the  leaves  of  the 
Dutchman's  Pipe  where  it  runs  over  the  porch. 
That's  what  your  piece  made  me  think  about." 
160 


CAFN  GID 

"  Oh.  you  are  a  joy ! "  cried  Kuth  Temple. 
"  You  couldn't  have  heard  it  better.  It's  a 
prelude  by  Chopin,  and  it  has  always  been 
known  as  'The  Rain  on  the  Roof.'  Listen 
again,  please,  while  I  play  you  another." 

"  Tumbling  all  over  itself,  hurrying  to  get 
through  the  meadow  and  run  into  the  river," 
laughed  the  captain  when  she  had  finished. 
"Doesn't  seem  as  if  that  could  be  meant  for 
anything  but  a  brook." 

"  Exactly  right,"  said  the  girl.  "  I  knew  it 
the  very  first  time  I  saw  you.  I  said  to  myself, 
'  Here's  somebody  I  can  play  to,  who  will  un- 
derstand ! '  It  makes  such  a  difference  to  me 
— when  people  don't !  " 

The  captain  looked  at  her  through  the  twi- 
light of  the  room. 

"  Oho  !  "  he  said  to  himself.  "  So  that's  the 
way  the  wind  is  setting,"  and  aloud,  "  Seems 
pretty  important  to  you,  I  guess." 

"  It  does,"  said  the  girl  earnestly.     "  You  see 

music  means  so  much  to  me,  more  and  more  as 

I  grow  older  and  hear  it  and  study  it.     In 

school  it's  the  children  who  have  musical  tastes 

161 


CAFN  GID 

to  whom  I'm  drawn  most  closely,  and  with 
whom  I  can  work  best.  The  lack  of  musical 
appreciation — not  education,  of  course  that's 
quite  different — it's  like  a  real  barrier.  Don't 
you  think  when  we're  very  young  we  like 
people  without  discrimination  and  as  we  grow 
older  we  just  Tume  to  change  our  point  of  view, 
no  matter  how  hard  it  is  ?  " 

"  M-m,"  said  the  captain.  "  There's  a  good 
deal  in  that  idea— a — good — deal,  but  I  should 
say  it  could  be  carried  too  far.  Now  apprecia- 
tion strikes  me  as  being  desirable  and  pleasant, 
like  Manila's  spiced  currant ;  you  get  a  kind  of 
a  different  taste  with  your  chicken  when  you 
take  that  spiced  currant  sauce  along  with  it ; 
but  I've  eaten  in  places  right  in  our  town  where 
'twas  seven  different  kinds  of  cake  and  these 
little  gape-and-swaUow  tea-rolls  and  spiced  cur- 
rant, and  I've  come  away  wishing  never  to 
taste  it  again.  You  want  to  make  pretty  sure 
of  your  chicken." 

The  girl  eyed  him  thoughtfully  for  a  mo- 
ment, then  she  laughed. 

"I  will  consider  that  point,  oh,  sage,"  she 
162 


CAP'N  GID 

said,  nodding  at  him.  "Now  listen  again.  I'll 
tell  you  the  name  of  this — it's  '  Starlight.' " 

The  captain  listened,  frowning,  and  when  she 
stopped  playing,  he  shook  his  head. 

"  No,  sir,"  he  spoke  with  authority,  "  not  my 
kind  of  starlight,  that  isn't.  Excepting,  well, 
I  don't  know — might  be  one  of  those  nights 
with  scudding  clouds  and  some  mist,  so  you'd 
see  the  stars  and  then  lose  'em  and — Tjut  'tisn't 
my  idea  of  a  starlit  night.  How  would  it  be 
if  you  should  play  me  '  Annie  Laurie '  before  I 
go  floundering  in  way  out  of  my  depth  ?  A 
straight  tune  with  words  gives  you  something 
to  tie  to  and  know  where  you  are." 

"  That's  what  Mr.  Severance  says ; "  the  girl's 
laugh  had  a  light  edge  of  scorn. 

"  Mighty  sensible  fellow  he  is,"  said  the  cap- 
tain firmly.  "  You  let  your  mind  dwell  on  that 
a  little.  It's  the  things  we  let  our  minds  dwell 
on  that  get  to  seem  the  most  important  to  us ; 
trouble  generally  is  we  don't  let  'em  dwell 
where  they  ought  to.  'Twouldn't  do  for  me 
to  preach,  for  there  are  cases  right  in  this  house 
where  I  know  my  mind's  dwelling  all  wrong; 
163 


CAFN  GID 

it's  fixed  on  what  appear  to  be  faults  instead 

of Come,  let's  have '  Annie  Laurie ' ;  that's 

considerably  safer  than  what  I  was  pretty  near 
saying." 

After  "Annie  Laurie"  came  "Old  Black 
Joe"  and  "Music  in  the  Air."  The  captain 
sat,  a  smile  of  deep  satisfaction  on  his  face, 
softly  beating  time  with  his  right  hand.  At 
last  there  came  a  little  pause,  and  the  girl  turned 
to  look  at  a  pile  of  music. 

"  Could  you  give  me  the  Wedding  March  ?  " 
asked  the  captain.     "  I'd  kind  of  like  to  hear  it." 

She  forbore  to  teU  him  that  there  were  a 
number  of  wedding  marches,  for  she  knew  by 
instinct  the  one  he  meant ;  smiling,  she  sounded 
the  triplet  call  and  a  moment  later  the  chords 
of  Mendelssohn's  famous  march  pealed  out  into 
the  hall.  The  captain  sat  up  and  forgot  to 
beat  time,  and  out  on  the  stairs  Jack  Severance 
on  his  way  up  to  his  room  stood  listening. 
Once  he  started  to  go  down  and  knock,  but  on 
second  thought  he  shook  his  head.  It  was  just 
then  that  the  door  of  Miss  Rawson's  room, 
which  had  been  ajar,  creaked. 
16^ 


CAFN  GID 

Setting  his  jaw  the  young  man  mounted  the 
remaining  stairs  and  tramped  by  the  door 
through  the  crack  of  which  he  knew  a  pair  of 
sharp  eyes  had  been  peering  at  him.  As  he 
passed  the  crack  widened  and  Miss  Rawson 
spoke. 

"  It's  hard  to  be  shut  out  of  Paradise  when 
others  are  admitted,  isn't  it  ? "  she  asked  sym- 
pathetically.    "  Is  it  raining  now  ?  " 

"  1  don't  know,"  said  Jack  Severance,  who  a 
few  moments  before  had  set  his  dripping  um- 
brella in  the  hall  stand.  "  Good-night,"  and 
he  closed  his  door. 

Left  in  possession  of  the  hall,  Miss  Bawson 
stood  for  a  moment,  her  nostrils  dilating.  Then 
she  descended  a  few  stairs  and  put  her  face 
close  to  the  gas  jet  which  hung  from  the 
balustrade. 

"The  gas  is  escaping,  I  think,"  she  mur- 
mured, "  and  as  it  must  be  about  time  I'll  turn 
it  out.  Don't  I  smell  cigar  smoke  ?  I  cer- 
tainly do.  That  Far n  ham  man  has  left  the 
door  of  the  den  open,  no  doubt,  and  here  it  is 
almost  ten  o'clock.  I  shall  speak  to  Mrs.  Tip> 
165 


CAFN  GID 

pett  in  the  morning.  She  will  have  to  adopt 
firm  measures.  I  presume  she's  in  her  bed,  sound 
asleep,  without  a  care  on  her  mind.  I  wonder 
if  those  maids  are  both  in  their  rooms ;  prob- 
ably they're  out  gallivanting.  I'll  just  take  a 
look,  and " 

Softly  she  crept  up  the  stairs  and  along  the 
hall  to  a  door  which  led  to  the  maids'  quarters. 
Softly  she  turned  the  knob  and  opened  the  door. 
The  sound  of  voices,  low  but  steady,  reached 
her  listening  ears.  She  advanced  toward  the 
little  room  from  which  the  sound  came,  her 
eyes  in  the  darkness  gleaming  like  a  cat's. 

"Maggie  is  in  Amanda's  room,"  she  told 
herself,  "in  spite  of  all  Mrs.  Hitchings  has 
said  about  the  necessity  of  their  going  to  bed 
promptly  at  nine  o'clock  to  be  ready  for  the 
next  morning.     I  shall  speak  of  this ;  say  the 

sound  of  voices  disturbed  me.     I Why, 

that  isn't  Maggie's  voice ! " 

Quite  close  to  the  door  she  stood  now.  A 
streak  of  light  showed  under  it,  and  from 
within  she  heard  the  sound  of  a  voice  she 
knew. 

166 


CAFN  GID 

"  I  don't  know  how  to  thank  you,  Amanda," 
came  clearly  to  her  ears.  "  I  had  forgotten 
that  this  was  his  day  to  come,  and  if  it  hadn't 
been  for  your  help  he  would  have  stayed  until 
some  one  saw  him.  Oh,  if  they  had  !  probably 
I  should  lose  all  my  boarders,  Amanda,  if  they 
knew  about  him.  It  is  such  a — such  a  dis- 
grace ! " 

"  It  is  not  so,"  rumbled  Amanda's  deep  voice. 
"  It  is  not  your  debts,  and  you  need  not  to  pay 
except  for  you  are  so  honest.  That  is  the  way 
with  women,  the  worse  they  are  treated  the 
more  softer  their  hearts  get." 

"  My  heart  is  not  soft ; "  the  listener  thought 
she  caught  the  sound  of  tears  in  the  voice  and 
her  thin  lips  straightened.  "  My  heart  is  turn- 
ing to  stone,  Amanda,  with  care  and  worry  and 
fear." 

"  You  stop  it,"  said  Amanda.  "  You  stop  it 
right  away  now,  and  go  to  your  bed.  It  is 
over  now  for  another  two  weeks." 

Noiselessly  the  listener  crept  away,  closing 
the  hall  door  behind  her  and  scurried  into  her 
room.  From  below  came  the  sound  of  the 
167 


CAFN  GID 

captain's  voice,  bidding  his  entertainer  good- 
night, and  telling  her  how  much  he  had  en- 
joyed the  evening,  but  Miss  Rawson  had  other 
matters  of  greater  moment  to  occupy  her  mind. 
She  closed  her  door  and  stood  in  the  centre  of 
her  room. 

"  She's  deceived  me — she's  deceived  us  aU !  " 
she  breathed.  "  That  husband  of  hers  is  alive, 
and  she's  letting  that  poor  deluded  man  from 
the  country  think  of  her  as  a  widow.  I  see 
there  is  some  work  for  me  to  do  in  this  house 
— and  I  shall  do  it." 


168 


CHAPTER  XIV 


IT  seemed  to  Captain  Bold  on  the  morning 
after  his  happy  time  with  Ruth  Temple  and 
her  music  as  if  there  were  something  strange 
and  electrical  in  the  air  of  the  dining-room. 
The  eyes  of  Miss  Rawson,  who  had  been  the 
first  one  at  the  breakfast  table,  gave  forth 
sudden  gleams  as  she  turned  from  one  to 
another  of  the  household. 

Toward  the  captain  himself  she  adopted  a 

protecting,  pitying  air  which  made  him  vaguely 

uncomfortable,  and  her  remarks  to  him,  which 

were  more  frequent  than  usual,  seemed  all  to 

169 


CAP'N  GID 

contain,  some  inner,  hidden  meaning  for  which 
he  searched  in  vain. 

"  Are  you  feeling  well,  captain  ?  "  she  asked 
solicitously  as  he  pushed  back  his  chair.  "  You 
haven't  eaten  much  breakfast,  I  notice,  and 
this  is  the  time  of  year  when  one  needs  nour- 
ishment, especially ;  these  warm  spring  days 
are  so  trying,  they  take  the  strength ;  and  then 
when  we're  called  upon  to  bear  any  extra  strain, 
we  give  way  under  it." 

"  I'm  not  looking  for  any  extra  strain  just  at 
present,  ma'am,"  said  the  captain  briskly,  but  he 
felt  both  irritated  and  perplexed  by  the  ex- 
pression of  her  upturned  face,  and  the  shake  of 
her  head. 

"  What's  the  matter  with  her  ?  "  he  demanded 
of  Mr.  Corcoran  who  joined  him  in  the  hall 
and  linked  his  arm  in  the  captain's,  saying: 
"  "Whither  away  this  blithe  and  bonny  morn, 
my  hearty?" 

"  Matter  with  her  ?    I  don't  know,  but  she 

looks  ready   to    burst   with    importance    and 

knowledge,"  said  the  broker.     "  She's  got  hold 

of  some  back-stair  secret,  probably,  and  she's 

170 


CAP'N  GID 

waiting  for  a  good  chance  to  spring  it  on  ns. 
Probably  something  about  Mrs.  Tippett." 

"  Well,  I  won't  listen  to  her,  no  matter  where 
she  waylays  me,"  said  the  captain. 

"  Good  work,"  said  the  broker.  "  If  I  were 
a  marrying  man  I'd  take  that  sweet  little  woman 
out  of  all  this  business.  Hasn't  been  able  to  let 
that  small  room  up-stairs,  for  Grenadier  Hitch- 
ings  won't  allow  her  to  lower  the  price.  I've 
half  a  mind  to  turn  Benedict,  I  vow  I  have." 

The  captain  digested  the  statement  in  silence. 
As  they  turned  toward  the  corner  Mr.  Corcoran 
eyed  him  shrewdly. 

"  Doesn't  just  please  you,"  he  said.  "  Maybe 
you  think  she  wouldn't  take  me,  but  she  might 
do  worse." 

"  Of  course  she  might,"  agreed  the  captain 
hastily.  "  But  you  say  you  aren't  a  marrying 
man,  and  perhaps  she  isn't  a  marrying  woman 
now.     She's  had  one  husband." 

"  So  she  has,  and  regarded  in  the  light  of  a 
sample,  I  should  think  he  would  have  inspired 
distrust  in  the  lot  of  us,"  said  Mr.  Corcoran. 
"  She'd  fight  shy  of  another,  probably." 
171 


CAFN  GID 

"  See  here,  you  talk  as  if  men  were  all  cut  by 
the  same  pattern,"  said  the  captain  indignantly. 
"  There  are  plenty  of  decent  men,  same  as  there 
are  plenty  of  sweet  women  in  the  world,"  he 
added. 

"Right-o,"  said  the  broker.  "Why  didn't 
you  pick  one  out  years  ago,  or  why  don't  you 
pick  one  out  now,  for  that  matter  ?  Here  you 
are  hale  and  hearty,  good-tempered  so  far  as  I 
know — the  very  man  to  assume  domestic  ties." 

"  I  have  one  domestic  tie  now,"  said  the  cap- 
tain grimly,  "  my  Cousin  Marilla,  and  I  had  a 
letter  from  her  yesterday  asking  me  when  I  in- 
tended to  come  home,  so  she  could  put  away 
the  thick  suit  I  wore  down  here.  I've  given 
away  that  suit  since  I  came  here — but  I  shall 
have  to  account  to  her  for  it.  Marilla's  home 
is  with  me  and  has  been  for  twenty  years.  I 
don't  know  what  she'd  do,  what  she'd  have 
done,  if  I'd  been  a  marrying  man." 

"  Why  don't  you  marry  her,  then  ?  "  asked 
Mr.  Corcoran,  with  a  glance  from  the  comer  of 
his  eye  which  the  captain  missed. 

"  Marry  Marilla  ?    Marry  Ma Well,  you 

172 


CAFN  GID 

haven't  ever  seen  her,"  spluttered  the  captain. 
"  Why,  she — she'd  broom  me  out  o'  the  house  if 

I  suggested  such  a  thing !     Marilla  isn't 

Well,  I  can't  describe  her  to  you,"  he  ended 
weakly.  "  You'll  have  to  see  her  some  day, 
then  you'll  understand  what  I  mean." 

"  Why  don't  you  have  her  down  here  for  a 
visit,  give  her  a  change  and  take  her  mind  off 
your  winter  clothes  ? "  suggested  the  broker. 
"  That's  just  one  of  my  bright  little  ideas. 
Think  it  over.  We  say  good-bye  here.  Good 
luck  to  you.  That  young  dentist  of  yours  must 
be  a  wizard — gets  you  there  twice  in  one  week  ! 
He'll  have  you  too  beautiful  if  you  don't  look 
out." 

The  captain,  left  to  himself,  walked  rather 
slowly,  his  hands  clasped  behind  his  back,  gaz- 
ing idly  in  at  the  shop  windows.  There  was 
plenty  of  time  to  spare  before  his  appointment 
with  Dr.  Warner.  Peggy  Townsend  was  away 
for  a  few  days,  so  there  would  be  no  chance  of 
meeting  her  if  he  went  to  Miss  Letty's  little  shop. 
He  did  not  feel  just  like  going  to  the  Library. 

"  No,  it's  the  kind  of  day  to  stay  outdoors  as 
173 


CAFN  GID 

much  as  you  can,"  thought  the  captain.  "  I'm 
almost  sorry  I'm  going  to  sit  in  the  dentist's 
chair  even  for  half  an  hour.  Hullo,  what  does 
this  mean,  young  lady  ?  Been  sent  home  from 
school  ?  " 

For  around  the  corner  came  Kuth  Temple 
with  pink  cheeks,  and  a  general  holiday  air. 

"There's  something  the  matter  with  the 
steam  in  our  schoolroom,"  she  informed  him 
gaily ;  "  they  can't  turn  it  off,  so  they've  sent 
for  the  man  to  fix  it,  and  as  he  can't  get  there 
for  two  hours,  we've  been  given  the  whole  day 
— think  of  that !  I  feel  so  rich  in  time  that  I 
haven't  yet  made  up  my  mind  how  to  spend  it. 
Could  you  suggest  anything,  Captain  Bold  ?  " 

"  I  could  if  'twasn't  for  being  promised  to  that 
cousin  of  yours  for  half  an  hour  pretty  soon," 
vouchsafed  the  captain.  "  I'd  suggest  that  we 
get  a  luncheon  put  up  at  the  Exchange,  and 
make  tracks  for  the  wharf  to  catch  the  eleven 
o'clock  boat  up  the  river.  I've  been  thinking 
of  that  trip,  but  it  seemed  kind  of  lonesome  to 
take  it  alone,  and  there  wasn't  anybody  to  take 
it  with  me.     Folks  are  all  so  busy." 

174: 


CAP'N  GED 

"  It's  the  very  thing ! "  cried  the  girl. 
"  Come,  I'll  make  it  all  right  with  Rob — the  idea 
of  expecting  anybody  to  sit  in  a  dentist's  chair 
on  a  morning  like  this.     I'll  attend  to  him  ! " 

"  Robert,"  she  said  five  minutes  later,  looking 
at  her  cousin  with  mock  indignation,  "  what  sort 
of  heart  is  lurking  in  your  breast  that  you  would 
keep  anybody  in  town  on  a  day  like  this,  just 
for  a  little  work  that  could  as  well  be  done  in  a 
pouring  rain  ?  I'm  astonished  at  you  !  Cap- 
tain Bold  and  I  are  going  off  at  eleven  o'clock, 
up  river,  and  we  have  no  time  to  lose.  He  can 
come  to  you  just  as  well  to-morrow,  can't  he  ?  " 

"  No,  he  can't,  miss,  I'm  proud  to  tell  you," 
said  her  cousin,  fluttering  the  pages  of  his  ap- 
pointment book  and  displaying  one  on  which 
there  were  no  empty  spaces.  "  I  would  have 
you  understand  that  I  am  on  the  highroad  to 
fame,  fortune  and  matrimony.  My  luck  has 
changed.  He  can't  come  for  three  days — three 
whole  days,  miss  !  But  I'll  gladly  let  him  off 
this  morning." 

"  Dear  me ! "  jeered  the  girl.  "  I'd  better  be 
having  Jean's  monogram  designed  in  a  hurry. 
175 


CAFN  GID 

Shall  I  have  time  to  work  it  on  one  table-cloth, 
do  you  think  ?  " 

"  It  depends  on  your  skiU,"  said  the  young 
man.  "  And  now  avaunt !  with  your  prey,  if 
you  please.  I  must  return  to  my  patient. 
Good-bye,  captain.  I  hope  you'll  have  a  fine 
time,  and  don't  let  this  impertinent  young 
cousin  of  mine  eat  too  much.  She  used  to,  as  a 
child." 

"  "We  shall  take  a  frugal  luncheon,"  the  girl 
tossed  back  at  him  over  her  shoulder,  "but 
there  will  be  nutcakes — now  don't  you  wish  you 
were  going  ?  " 

With  a  hollow  groan  the  young  man  closed 
the  door  on  his  visitors  who  in  another  moment 
were  hurrying  along  the  street  toward  the 
"Woman's  Exchange.  Just  before  they  reached 
it  they  met  Mrs.  Hitchings,  flanked  by  Mrs. 
Damon  and  Miss  Rawson,  aU  three  carrying 
bags  from  the  gaping  tops  of  which  protruded 
pamphlets  of  a  sanguinary  hue.  This  formi- 
dable trio  paused,  and  it  was  evident  that  Mrs. 
Hitchings,  transfixed  with  amazement,  was 
about  to  address  an  inquiry  to  Miss  Temple. 
176 


CAP'N  GID 

The  captain,  however,  placed  a  guiding  hand 
beneath  the  right  elbow  of  his  companion  and 
bore  her  swiftly  past  the  group. 

"  We're  perfectly  safe  in  here,"  said  the  girl 
as  they  fled  up  the  steps  and  into  the  sales- 
room ;  "  the  president  of  the  Exchange  is  anti- 
suffrage,  and  not  one  of  those  devoted  ladies 
would  set  foot  over  this  threshold  for  a  hundred 
dollars." 

"  Good  enough,"  returned  the  captain.  "  Now 
let's  see  what  looks  best  to  us,  and  get  it.  How 
does  that  little  chicken  strike  you  ?  Seems  to 
me  a  likely  bird." 

"  I  should  say  it  was,"  agreed  Miss  Temple, 
"  but  don't  you  think  sandwiches  would  be  easier 
to  carry  and  to  eat?  I  wasn't  planning  for 
knives  and  forks,  were  you  ?  " 

"Of  course  not,"  and  the  captain  looked 
quite  crestfallen  for  a  moment ;  then  his  spirits 
rose  again.  "Anyway,  we  can  have  some  of 
those  little  pies,"  he  said  firmly.  "  I  speak  for 
those ;  they  won't  need  cutting,  for  there  are 
only  a  couple  of  mouthfuls  in  one  of  them." 

"We'll  have  some,  certainly,"  laughed  the 
177 


CAFN  GID 

girl,  and  after  that  there  was  no  checking  the 
captain,  who  secured  the  attention  of  a  com- 
petent young  person  with  a  salesbook  and 
pencil  and  kept  her  busy  selecting  dainties 
until  her  tray  was  piled  with  them. 

"Air  from  over  the  water  always  makes 
folks  hungry,"  said  the  captain  as  they 
watched  the  packing  of  a  large  pasteboard 
box.  "Looks  to  me  as  if  we  might  have  a 
real  tasty  luncheon,  and  this  is  my  treat,"  he 
added  as  he  saw  a  small  pocketbook  in  Kuth 
Temple's  hands.  "  I've  been  wondering  what 
I  could  give  you  that  would  show  my  thanks 
for  the  treats  you've  given  me,  but  I  couldn't 
think  of  a  thing.  Now  when  you  eat  one  of 
those  apple  turnovers  maybe  you'll  say  to  your- 
self, '  Not  much  like  "  Kain  on  the  Roof  "  but 
it's  intended  all  right,'  and  when  you  bite  into 
one  of  those  frosted  cakes  you'll  think,  'No 
"  Starlight "  about  this,  but  he's  done  the  best 
he  could.'  And  the  sandwiches  can  stand  for 
*  Annie  Laurie '  and  the  other  old  favorites." 

"  Oh,  Captain  Bold,  you're  over-thanking  me, 
that's  the  only  trouble,"  said  Ruth  Temple. 
178 


CAFN  GED 

"There's  enough  luncheon  in  that  box  for 
three  or  four  people.  We  can't  possibly  eat  it 
all.  You  know  the  river  air  isn't  salt;  we 
shan't  be  quite  so  hungry  as  if  we  were  on  the 
ocean,  I'm  afraid." 

"I'm  sharp-set  already  thinking  about  it," 
announced  the  captain.  "  And  who  knows  but 
we  may  meet  somebody  who  hasn't  had  time 
or  forethought  to  provide  any  food." 

"  We're  not  likely  to  meet  any  one  we  know," 
said  the  girl  doubtfully.  / 

"  Oh,  we'll  know  them  before  we  get 
through,"  and  the  captain  smiled  down  at  her 
as  he  received  the  big  box  from  the  young  sales- 
woman. "  There's  nothing  like  hunger  to  bring 
folks  together.     You'll  see." 

She  looked  at  him  thoughtfully  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  then  laughed. 

"  AU  right,"  she  said.     "  I'll  wait  to  see." 

She  looked  at  him  again  when,  all  pre- 
liminaries having  been  accomplished,  they  sat 
side  by  side  on  the  upper  deck  of  the  river- 
steamer,  their  two  chairs  drawn  close  to  the 
railing.  The  captain  was  surveying  with  the 
179 


CAFN  GID 

frank  delight  of  a  child  the  stream  of  passen- 
gers coming  down  the  gangplank,  and  he  did 
not  see  her  glance. 

"Mrs.  Hitchings  calls  him  *that  common 
man,'"  mused  Ruth  Temple  as  she  watched 
him,  "  but  I  think  she's  mistaken.  He  isn't  like 
anybody  else;  and  that's  very  different  from 
being  '  common.'  But  I  do  hope  he  won't  in- 
vite the  first  hungry-looking  person  he  sees  to 
share  our  luncheon." 

The  captain  was  humming  to  himself.  He 
turned  to  the  girl  beside  him  with  the  air  of 
one  sure  of  sympathy. 

"  I  never  get  tired  of  seeing  folks  I  don't 
know  and  making  up  stories  about  them,"  he 
said,  with  his  right  thumb  pointing  backward 
to  the  gangway.  "  See  that  little  woman 
with  the  gay  bonnet  on,  talking  to  the  tall 
man  ?  I'U  wager  she  never  had  a  bonnet  like 
that  before;  you  can  tell  from  the  way  she 
holds  her  head.  Just  married,  and  not  so 
young  as  she'd  have  been  fifteen  years  ago ;  but 
he  wants  her  to  look  young  as  she  can.  Don't 
you  think  I've  guessed  them  about  right?" 
180 


CAFN  GID 

"I  believe  you  have,"  laughed  the  girl. 
"The  tall  man  hasn't  had  that  air  of  pro- 
prietorship very  long,  I'm  sure.  Do  you  sup- 
pose they  were  old  lovers,  and  their  marriage 
was  delayed  ?  " 

The  captain  gazed  after  the  retreating  couple, 
his  lips  pursed. 

"  N-no,"  he  said  at  last.  "  I  think  they've 
both  had  hard  times,  maybe,  and  only  got 

round  to  thinking  of Say,  look  who's 

coming  now ! " 

It  was  Jack  Severance,  his  face  upturned, 
wearing  an  expression  of  mixed  bewilderment 
and  pleasure.  As  he  caught  the  eye  of  Captain 
Bold  he  took  off  his  hat  and  waved  it.  A  mo- 
ment more  and  he  was  seated  beside  Ruth 
Temple  and  explaining  his  presence. 

"  I'm  sent  up  river  to  see  the  bungalow  that 
Aldrich  has  just  had  built,"  he  said,  and  in 
spite  of  herself  the  girl's  smile  answered  his. 
"  Jolly  luck  for  me,  this  is.  You  don't  mean 
to  tell  me  you  have  a  lunch  box  !  I  didn't  have 
time  to  get  a  snack  ;  barely  caught  the  boat." 

"  It's  all  for  the  best,  young  man,"  and  the 
181 


CAFN  GID 

captain  beamed  on  him,  "  for  we  are  pro> 
visioned  beyond  our  needs.  We'll  have  a  nice 
little  family  party,  that's  what  we'll  have." 

"  I  came  near  knocking  down  our  suffragette 
trio  as  I  was  leaping  along,  thinking  I'd  lost 
the  boat,"  said  Jack  Severance  when  they  were 
fairly  off.  "  They  had  a  grim  appearance,  taken 
in  the  mass ;  I  wonder  what's  happened  to 
them." 

"  We  shall  know  to-night,"  said  Ruth  Temple 
demurely,  "  that  is  if  they're  not  too  much  en- 
gaged in  finding  out  where  we've  been,  for 
Captain  Bold  and  I  met  them,  too." 

"  That  for  the  busy  three  !  "  and  Jack  Sever- 
ance snapped  his  fingers.  "Let's  forget  that 
the  worst  is  yet  to  come  and  revel  in  the  pres- 
ent. And  now  might  I  inquire  whether  this 
picnic  is  impromptu  or  long-planned  ?  for  if  it's 
the  latter  you  may  look  to  see  my  lower  lip 
tremble.  I'm  a  trusting  soul  and  I've  been 
thinking  I  was  a  treasured  friend  to  you  both." 

«  You  silly  !  "  laughed  Ruth  Temple.    "  What 
you  need  is  a  sandwich  right  away.     I  wish 
Mrs.  Tippett  were  here.    She'd  just  love  all  this. ' 
182 


CAP'N-  GID 

"  So  she  would,"  said  the  captain  beaming, 
"  so  she  would." 

He  forgot  his  half-eaten  sandwich  as  he 
looked  up  the  river,  smiling  at  his  thoughts, 
until  his  fingers  relaxed  their  hold  and  there 
came  a  little  splash  in  the  water.  The  captain 
hastily  removed  his  elbow  from  the  rail,  and  at 
that  moment  his  Cousin  Marilla  came  into  his 
mind. 

"  That  is,  seems  as  if  she  would  ;  seems  as  if 
anybody  would,"  said  the  captain.  "  Of  course 
I  don't  know  her  so  well  as  either  of  you." 

"  No  ? "  said  Jack  Severance.  "  I'd  like 
another  sandwich,  please.  Miss  Temple,  and 
I  think  the  captain  needs  one,  too." 

"Mine's  gone,  that's  a  fact,"  admitted  the 
captain.  "  I  was  thinking  what  a  nice  party 
we  could  make  up  if  I  had  my  old  boat,  and  we 
could  go  anywhere  we  Uked,  choose  our  course. 
Might  even  go  to  China  if  we  were  so  disposed." 

"Why  not  consider  it?"     Jack  Severance 

folded  his  arms   behind   his  head  and  leaned 

back,  his  eyes  half  closed.     "  Mrs.  Tippett  and 

Miss  Temple,   with  that  admirable  cousin  of 

183 


CAFN  GID 

yours  for  chaperon,  you  and  I,  bound  for 
China.  It  seems  a  perfectly  good  idea  to  me. 
Why  not  carry  it  out,  captain  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I've  been  a  landsman  twenty  years 
now,"  said  the  captain,  but  his  eyes  held  the 
look  that  never  wholly  leaves  the  eyes  of  a 
lover  and  follower  of  the  sea.  "  Once  a  year 
I  take  a  day's  voyage  with  an  old  friend  of 
mine,  and  he  lets  me  get  my  hand  on  things, 
but  that's  all.  And  as  for  Marilla,  she'll  never 
be  persuaded  to  put  foot  on  board  a  craft  of 
any  sort." 

"  That's  sad,"  but  a  light  flickered  under  the 
young  man's  lowered  eyelids.  "  Well,  of  course 
there  are  conditions  under  which  we  could  dis- 
pense with  the  chaperon.  If  either  you  or  I 
were " 

"  Will  you  hand  Captain  Bold  the  nutcakes  ?  " 
said  Ruth  Temple  in  a  tone  so  sweetly  remote 
that  the  flicker  died  and  the  eyes  of  Jack  Sever- 
ance opened  wide.  "As  we  came  for  a  river 
trip  why  not  enjoy  it  instead  of  wasting  time 
on  dreams  which  could  never  by  any  possibility 
come  true  ?  " 

184 


CAFN  GID 

"  You  are  so  practical,  so  sternly  practical 
with  me  that  you  come  very  near  being  harsh," 
said  Jack  Severance  plaintively.  "And  with 
the  captain,  too,  the  provider  of  this  bountiful 
repast,  if  I  understood  correctly.  Captain  Bold, 
may  I  tender  you  a  nutcake  ?  As  for  me,  I 
doubt  if  I  can  swallow  for  a  few  moments." 


185 


CHAPTER  XV 


THE  captain  had  an  appointment  to  meet 
Peggy  Townsend  and  her  mother  at  Miss 
Letty's  shop,  receive  Peggy  from  her  parent's 
hands  and  take  her  for  a  joyous  hour  in  the 
park  while  Mrs.  Townsend  did  something  in 
which  Peggy  had  no  interest. 

"  It  is  very  kind  of  you  to  give  so  much  of 
your  time  to  my  small  daughter,"  said  Mrs. 
Townsend  graciously.  "I  don't  know  what 
Peggy  will  do  when  you  go  away.  She  told 
her  grandmother  three  times  during  our  visit 
that  you  were  '  the  very  nicest  gentleman  she 
knew.'  You  seem  to  know  just  how  to  get  on 
186 


CAFN  GID 

with  children,  although  Peggy  tells  me  you 
have  none  of  your  own." 

"No,  ma'am,  I've  never  married,"  said  the 
captain  soberly.  "  It  never  seemed  to  come 
just  right  for  me  to  do  it,  and  I've  never  seen 
the  one  that  would  make  me  feel  I  must  ride 
over  obstacles  and  twist  circumstances  till  I  got 
her.  And  I'm  blessed  with  an  excellent  house- 
keeper, my  Cousin  Marilla.  Perhaps  Peggy's 
told  you  about  her ;  I've  spoken  of  her  a  num- 
ber of  times.  She's  dependent  on  me  for  a 
home,  and  I  owe  it  to  her  for  all  the  years  she's 
looked  after  me." 

"Yes,  I  understand,  of  course,"  said  Mrs. 
Townsend  vaguely,  her  mind  already  on  what 
she  was  planning  to  do.  "Peggy,  you  must 
not  stand  looking  at  those  toys  another  minute, 
keeping  your  kind  friend  waiting.  I  will  re- 
turn here  in  about  an  hour.  Captain  Bold,  and 
thank  you  so  much." 

"  Do  you  love  your  Couthin  Marilla  very, 
<very  much  ? "  asked  Peggy,  skipping  along 
beside  the  captain  a  moment  later. 

"  Why,  I  don't  know  as  Marilla  and  I've  ever 
187 


CAFN  GID 

thought  much  about  loving,"  said  the  captain 
slowly ;  "  we  like  each  other  first  rate ;  we 
think  differently  about  'most  everything,  and 
I'm  a  real  trial  to  her  some  ways,  and  she's  a 
bit  trying  to  me  now  and  then,  but  we — why, 
yes,  Peggy,  I  guess  we  love  each  other  the 
usual  amount  full." 

Peggy  eyed  him  with  an  elfin  smile  on  her 
face. 

"  Thome  of  my  couthins  I  love  and  thome  of 
them  I  don't  like  one  bit,"  she  said.  "  I  think 
Mithes  Tippett  is  pretty,  don't  you?  She 
came  into  Mith  Letty's  while  I  was  there 
yethterday.  If  she  were  your  couthin,  wouldn't 
you  love  her  ?  " 

The  captain's  face  burned.  Peggy  looked  up 
at  him  with  gi*eat  interest,  and  waited. 

"  I  presume  I  should  do  whatever  was  natu- 
ral," said  the  captain  at  last. 

"She'd  be  a  lovely  couthin,"  Peggy  stated 
with  conviction,  "  but  she'th  pretty  young  to  be 
your  couthin,  ithn't  she  ?  Wouldn't  she  have 
to  be  a  niece  ?  " 

"  Maybe  she  would,"  said  the  captain,  with 
188 


CAP»N  GID 

an  unpleasant  little  twinge  at  the  thought. 
"  But  I'm  not  so  sure  about  that,  either,"  he 
added  cheerfully ;  "  some  people  look  a  great 
deal  older  than  they  are  ;  you  don't  know  but 
I'm  one  of  that  kind,  missy ;  and  some  look  a 
great  deal  younger  than  they  are,  and  Mrs.  Tip- 
pett  may  be  one  of  that  kind,  for  all  you  know." 

'■'' Maybe ^''  said  Peggy  doubtfuUy,  "but  she 
thmiled  at  me  and  she  looked  ever  and  ever  so 
young  to  be  your  couthin,  truly.  But  you're 
not  a  bit  old,"  she  hastened  to  add,  seeing  that 
her  friend  had  a  look  of  disappointment;  "I 
think  you're  jutht  exactly  the  right  age." 

"  That's  a  comfort,"  said  the  captain.  "  If 
somebody  says  that  to  you  when  you're  half  a 
century  old  and  two  years  over  you'll  be  as 
pleased  as  I  am.  Here  we  are  at  the  park  en- 
trance, and  here's  a  friend  of  mine,  true  as  I 
live.  Going  to  write  up  the  spring  flowers  for 
your  paper  ?  " 

"  I  haven't  looked  at  them,"  said  Jack  Sever- 
ance who,  to  the  captain's  mind,  wore  a  down- 
cast air.  "I  took  the  short  cut  through  the 
park  from  a  house  over  on  the  other  side  where 
189 


CAFN  GID 

Pd  been  sent  to  get  information — and  mighty 
little  I  was  able  to  get.  The  chief  won't  hand 
me  out  any  compliments  for  to-day's  work,  I 
know  that  well  enough.  This  is  a  mean  old 
world  to-day,  anyhow." 

"  M'm,"  said  the  captain,  "  I've  noticed  you 
seemed  to  be  feeling  that  way  about  it  lately. 
There's  been  too  much  going  on  in  the  musical 
world  to  suit  you,  I  judge.  But  Miss  Temple 
and  that  slim  young  man  from  Boston  seem  to 
have  been  enjoying  it  pretty  well." 

"  I  don't  see  any  reason  for  quarreling  with 
their  enjoyment,"  said  Jack  Severance,  stiffly ; 
"  although  how  a  fellow  with  a  chin  like  that 
can  get  any  pleasure  out  of  life  is  beyond  me ! 
Miss  Temple  has  known  him  a  long  time ;  he's 
the  brother  of  a  college  friend  of  hers." 

"  But  that  doesn't  help  his  chin  any,"  said 
the  captain.  "  It  is  a  real  drawback  in  more 
senses  than  one,  but  I  reckon  Miss  Temple  has 
grown  used  to  it.  She  tells  me  he's  crammed 
full  of  music,  and  I  presume  she  takes  his  chin 
for  granted,  same  as  we  do  little  failings  in 
those  we're  fond  of,  always." 
190 


CAP'N  GID 

"I  don't  believe  she's  fond  of  him,"  said 
Jack  Severance  hotly ;  "  she  couldn't  be !  But 
they're  congenial  when  it  comes  to  music ;  and 
she's  being  nice  to  him  as  long  as  he's  only  here 
for  a  fortnight  and  she  likes  his  sister.  What 
have  you  seen  to  make  you  think  she's  fond  of 
him  ?  " 

At  this  point  Peggy,  who  had  been  assuming 
iaterest  in  a  toad  she  had  discovered  in  the 
grass,  felt  that  she  had  effaced  herself  long 
enough,  and  broke  into  the  conversation. 

"  You  didn't  thpeak  to  me  at  all,"  she  said 
severely  to  the  young  man  who  had  looked  over 
her  head  at  the  captain  when  their  meeting  took 
place.    "  Are  you  croth  this  beautiful  morning  ?  " 

"  Why,  hello,  Peggy,  you  must  pardon  my 
negligence,"  said  Jack  Severance.  "  I  really 
didn't  see  you." 

"  Look  here,"  and  the  captain's  eyes  lighted 
with  mischief,  "  you  take  Peggy  down  to  the 
brook,  and  I'll  sit  here  on  this  bench  till  you 
come  back.  My  foot  has  troubled  me  a  little 
bit  the  last  day  or  two  and  that  stony  path 
would  be  kind  of  hard  on  it." 
191 


CAFN  GID 

"  All  right,  come  on,  Peggy,"  said  the  young 
man ;  he  was  none  too  cordial,  but  Peggy  was 
not  exacting  with  her  friends  and  she  seized  his 
hand  with  right  good  will,  pulling  him  joyfully 
toward  the  goal  of  her  desires. 

"  There ! "  said  the  captain.  "  I  guess 
Marilla  would  say  I  managed  that  fairly  well ; 
and  it's  the  first  good  chance  I've  had  to  carry 
out  her  suggestions.  Now  let's  see  how  they 
work.  That  young  fellow  from  Boston's  going 
home  to-morrow ;  about  to-morrow  night  will 
be  my  opportunity ;  Friday,  that's  my  lucky 
day,  too." 

The  young  man  from  Boston  had  occupied 
the  small  room  at  385  Walnut  Street  for  only 
two  weeks  and  had  taken  few  meals  with  the 
other  boarders,  so  that  he  was  not  missed  by 
any  one,  with  the  presumable  exception  of  Miss 
Temple.  She,  however,  seemed  in  the  best  of 
spirits  the  next  night  at  dinner. 

"Would  you  like  to  hear  some  music  to- 
night ?  "  she  asked  the  captain.     "  It's  a  good 
while  since  you've  been  in  my  sitting-room,  and 
I  feel  just  in  the  mood  for  playing." 
192 


CAP'N  GID 

"  I'll  be  delighted,"  said  the  captain.  "  Pity- 
Mr.  Severance  isn't  here,  so  you  could  invite 
him,  too  ;  but  he  seems  to  be  away." 

"  He's  probably  off  on  some  assignment  that 
will  oblige  him  to  take  his  dinner  in  one  of 
those  queer  Bohemian  places  he  always  talks 
about,"  said  the  girl  carelessly ;  "  and  anyway 
he  doesn't  care  for  music  as  you  do." 

"  Maybe  not,"  said  the  captain, "  but  he  cares 
a  good  deal  for  your  playing." 

"Oh,"  Ruth  Temple  moved  her  head  im- 
patiently, "  my  playing  !  What  sort  of  things 
does  he  like  me  to  play,  best  of  all  ?  They  are 
not  music,  really." 

"  No,"  said  the  captain  tolerantly,  "  I  sup- 
pose they  aren't,  judged  by  a  high  standard,  but 
they're  real  pleasant  to  listen  to.  I  wonder 
where  he  is  to-night.  I  saw  him  walking  with 
about  as  pretty  a  little  girl  as  I  ever  laid  my 
eyes  on  yesterday." 

Ruth  Temple  turned  a  look  of  frank  astonish- 
ment on  the  captain. 

"  Jack  Severance  walking  with  a  girl ! "  she 
said,  and  the  captain  noted  with  Joy  that  the 
193 


CAFN  GID 

adjective  he  had  put  in  as  a  concession  to  truth 
had  passed  unnoticed.  "  Why,  he's  always  tell- 
ing me  he  has  nothing  to  do  with  girls." 

"  He  was  having  something  to  do  with  this 
particular  one,"  and  the  captain  gave  a  well 
planned  chuckle.  "'Twas  in  the  park  I  saw 
them.  I  guess  you  don't  know  much  about 
what's  been  going  on  for  the  past  two  weeks, 
outside  of  music,  do  you  ?  " 

«  No,"  said  the  girl  thoughtfully.  «  No,  I 
don't.  But  I  shouldn't  have  supposed,  how- 
ever   " 

She  did  not  finish  her  sentence  although  the 
captain  waited  with  apparent  anxiety.  That 
evening  two  spots  of  bright  red  grew  in  her 
cheeks  as  she  played.  She  chose  for  the  most 
part  light,  tricksy  things  which  tickled  the  cap- 
tain's fancy.  At  the  end  of  one  he  laughed  out- 
right. 

"Sounds  like  little  creatures  chasing  each 
other,"  he  said  delightedly.  "  Couldn't  we  have 
that  over  again  ?  " 

"  It  is  called  '  Puck ' — you  remember  him  in 
'Midsummer  Night's  Dream.'  This  is  by 
194 


CAFN  GID 

Grieg ;  you've  liked  ever  so  many  of  his  things, 
you  know." 

The  captain  nodded. 

"  I  always  remember  him  and  what  you  told 
me  about  him ;  it  seems  wonderful  to  me  that 
a  man  living  way  off  there  could  make  up  music 
that  tells  its  stories  so  plainly  to  me,"  he  said. 
"  You'd  think  'twould  be  a  language  I  couldn't 
understand.  I  had  an  awful  piece  of  work  with 
a  Norwegian  sailor  once ;  seemed  to  me  we'd 
both  go  out  of  our  minds  before  we  got  to  an 
interpreter.  But  music's  different ;  I  reckon 
it's  kind  of  universal." 

"  That's  just  it,"  said  the  girl  quickly,  "  for 
those  who  have  souls  to  understand  it  and  ears 
to  hear  it,  it  is  a  universal  language,  and  for 
the  others — it's  just  a  jargon,  I  suppose,"  she 
added. 

"  Aren't  you  sorry  for  them,  those  others  ?  " 
asked  the  captain.  "  Just  think  what  they 
lose !  And  with  a  little  help,  maybe  some  of 
them  would  learn  to  imderstand  it.  Now 
there's " 

"  You  needn't  say  what  you  were  going  to, 
195 


CAFN  GID 

Captain  Bold,"  broke  in  Kuth  Temple,  and 
although  she  laughed  the  two  red  spots  in  her 
cheeks  burned  brighter  than  ever.  "  They  don't 
need  our  sorrow,  or  want  it,  those  others. 
They'd  rather — they'd  rather  spend  their  time 
walking  with  pretty  girls.  Now  you  and  I  will 
have  *  Puck '  again." 

The  captain  listened,  but  this  time  it  was 
with  a  divided  mind.  For  while  Puck's  antics 
delighted  him  as  before,  over  and  over,  back 
and  forth  in  his  brain  chased  thoughts  of  Jack 
Severance. 

"  Better  even  than  the  first  time,"  he  said 
when  Puck  had  given  his  last  airy  kick  and 
danced  out  of  hearing,  but  to  himself  he  was 
saying,  "  Marilla  was  right !  She  certainly 
was  right,  however  she  knew.  If  Jack  Sever- 
ance were  to  walk  in  here  this  minute  and  I 
cleared  out  I  believe  'twould  be  all  settled  in- 
side of  a  half  hour.  And  it's  just  the  mention 
of  another  girl  that's  done  it !  Did  you  ever 
see  a  plan  work  so  fast  ?  Why,  she  fired  right 
up,  and  was  livelier  at  supper  than  she's  been 
for  days.  I  do  feel  a  bit  deceitful,  though, 
196 


CAFN  GID 

calling  Peggy  'a  pretty  little  girl.'  But  it 
certainly  was  the  very  thing.  I — well — I'll  in- 
vite Marilla  down,  as  Mr.  Corcoran  suggested. 
I  declare  I  will." 


.^/f^ 


197 


CHAPTER  XVI 


"T"!  TELL,  sir,  I  took  your  advice  and  sent 
V  V  for  her,"  said  Captain  Bold,  who  had 
hurried  out  of  the  door  after  Mr.  Corcoran,  and 
now  fell  in  step  with  him.  "  Yes,  sir,  'twas  all 
transacted  while  you  were  out  of  town.  She's 
coming  to-day.  I'm  on  my  way  to  the  station 
to  meet  her." 

The  broker  stared  at  him.     "Who  in 

What  are  you  talking  about  ?  "  he  inquired. 
198 


CAP'N  GID 

"  I  suppose  your  mind's  so  full  of  the  stock 
market  you've  forgotten  all  about  her,"  said 
the  captain.  "  I'm  referring  to  Cousin  Marilla 
Bold,  who  keeps  house  for  me  up  in  Felling. 
'Twas  you  that  suggested  my  asking  her,  and 
she  jumped  at  the  chance.  Coming  to-day,  as 
I  said  before.  Going  to  have  the  small  room 
on  the  third  floor." 

"  Oho,  I  remember  now,"  and  the  little  eyes 
shot  a  glance  at  the  captain.  "She's  the 
obstacle  to  your  matrimonial  plans." 

"  What  put  that  into  your  head  ?  "  The  cap- 
tain shouted  so  that  two  passers-by  stopped  and 
looked  toward  a  policeman  stationed  across  the 
street.     "  I've  got  no  matrimonial  plans  !  " 

"  So  I  understood,"  and  his  companion  looked 
down  at  him  with  baffling  calm.  "  I  judged 
you  couldn't  really  have  any  while  Cousin 
Marilla,  so  to  speak,  blocked  the  passage. 
Good  luck  to  you,  captain.  I've  got  to  see  a 
man  in  here." 

"Now  what  in  thunder  did  he  mean  by 
talking  about  my  matrimonial  plans ! "  fumed 
the  man  left  on  the  corner.  "  As  if  I  hadn't 
199 


CAFN  GID 

more'n  enough  on  my  shoulders  already.  If  he 
should  say  a  word  to  Marilla  and  she  flew  off 
at  a  tangent  as  she  did  that  tune  somebody 
started  talk  about  the  Widow  Mason,  where 
would  I  be  ?  I  reckon  I'd  better  speak  a  word 
with  him  before  he  sees  Marilla.  A  man  that 
makes  up  something  out  of  less'n  nothing  is 
kind  of  dangerous.  Hello,  little  girl,  I  came 
near  not  seeing  you." 

"  I  was  watching  you,"  said  Peggy  Town- 
send,  her  eyes  dancing  as  she  slipped  her  hand 
into  the  captain's.  "  Your  face  is  jutht  as  red  ! 
and  I  thought  maybe  you  were  mad,  but  then 
I  saw  how  pleathed  you  looked,  and  I  knew 
you  were  almotht  laughing." 

"  Laughing ! "  echoed  the  captain.  "  Not  at 
aU,  my  dear.  I  was  far  from  laughing.  I  was 
thinking  of  a  very  serious  matter.  A  very 
serious  matter  indeed.  You  give  my  regards 
to  Miss  Letty  and  tell  her  I  shall  be  in  soon  to 
see  her  and  bring  a  cousin  of  mine  who's  com- 
ing to-day  to  make  me  a  visit." 

"  I'll  tell  her,"  said  Peggy  as  they  reached 
Miss  Letty's  door,  "and  I'll  tell  her  how 
200 


CAFN  GID 

pleathed  you  looked  when  I  met  you.     Good- 
bye." 

"  By  George,  there  must  be  something  wrong 
with  my  face,"  muttered  the  captain  as  he 
trudged  on.  "I'd  better  go  to  one  o'  these 
elocution  teachers  and  learn  how  to  express  my 
different  emotions.  Let's  see  what  Marilla'll 
say  when  she  sights  me.  I'll  wager  there 
won't  anything  escape  her." 

•They  were  seated  in  the  cab  with  Miss 
Manila's  suit-case,  from  which  she  had  refused 
to  part,  bumping  between  them,  before  the 
captain  received  a  full  inspection. 

"What  you  been  doing  to  yourself?"  then 
demanded  his  cousin.  "  You're  all  spruced  up. 
Your  hair's  cut  diif erent ;  and  that  suit's  new. 
Did  you  forget  you  had  a  perfectly  good  one 
up  home  ?  If  I  hadn't  supposed  you'd  be  going 
back  when  I  do,  I'd  have  brought  it  down. 
What  are  you  smiling  about.  Cousin  Gid? 
You  look  sort  o'  foolish." 

"  I'm  not  smiliDg,"  said  the  captain  stoutly. 
"  I  don't  know  what's  the  matter  with  folks 
this  morning.     'Tisn't  the  first  nor  the  second 
201 


CAP'N  GID 

time  that  remarks  have  been  passed  on  my 
looks." 

"No  wonder,"  said  Miss  Marilla.  "Are 
there  any  widows  in  that  place  you're  stay- 
ing? or  are  all  those  women  widows?  As  I 
said  to  our  minister's  wife,  what  with  abbrevia- 
tions and  handwriting  that's  almost  impossible 
to  read  at  its  best,  the  news  I've  got  out  of 
your  letters  is  sparse  and  muddled.  You  teU 
off  the  names  to  me  before  we  get  to  the  house." 

"  Mrs.  Hitchings,  she's  tall  and  commanding 
and  into  all  suffrage  works,"  began  the  captain, 
checking  off  the  names  on  his  fingers.  "  She's 
a  widow.  Mrs.  Damon,  short  and  heavy  built, 
with  a  good  deal  of  jewelry  and  trimming,  a 
teary  make-up,  large  appetite,  husband  out 
West;  also  suffrage.  Miss  Eawson,  thin  and 
peaked,  wants  to  know  a  little  more  than  is 
going  on,  also  suffrage.  Miss  Temple,  young 
and  pretty,  teaches  school ;  anti-suffrage.  Jack 
Severance,  in  love  with  her  and  doesn't  much 
care  who  knows  it;  her  mind's  wavering  be- 
cause he  isn't  up  to  her  standard  of  musical  and 
otherwise  culture,  but  her  heart's  set  on  him, 
202 


CAFN  GID 

to  my  thinking.  Mr.  Corcoran,  a  stock  broker, 
and  a  joker.  Sometimes  sees  jokes  where  there 
aren't  any.  Mr.  Farnham,  plenty  of  money 
and  no  stomach  according  to  his  own  state- 
ments. Oh — and  Mrs.  Rose  Tippett,  our  land- 
lady." 

"  Oh "    Miss  Manila's  exclamation  was 

an  exact  imitation  of  the  captain's.  "  I'm  glad 
you  thought  to  speak  of  her,  but  I  suppose  you 
don't  see  her  as  often  as  the  others.  Meal- 
times, for  instance,  I  presume  she  stays  in  the 
kitchen  and  attends  to  things." 

"No,  oh,  no,"  said  the  captain.  "She's 
generally  there  at  the  table.  Oh,  yes,  she's  al- 
ways there  for  dinners— and  breakfasts  often." 

"  Funny  you  came  near  forgetting  her,"  said 
Miss  Marilla.     "  Where's  her  husband  ?  " 

"  He  is  dead,  I  understand,"  and  the  captain 
repeated  his  statement  with  more  assurance. 
"  Yes,  I  guess  there's  no  doubt  he's  dead." 

"  Well,  I  must  say  !  "  Miss  Marilla  conde- 
scended to  no  light  tricks  of  picking  imaginary 
threads  or  flecking  dust  from  her  garments, 
such  as  a  more  merciful  woman  might  have 
203 


CAFN  GID 

employed ;  she  kept  a  steady  gaze  fixed  on  the 
captain's  reddening  face  and  beneath  that  gaze 
he  quailed.  "  Don't  you  know  for  certain 
whether  or  not  Mrs.  Rose  Tippett  is  a  widow  ?  " 

"  I  feel  perfectly  sure  of  it ;  just  as  sure  as 
that  I'm  sitting  here  with  you,"  said  the  captain, 
taking  oflf  his  hat  and  wiping  his  brow.  "  But 
given  a  woman  in  her  position,  there'll  always 
be  folks  to  question  and  surmise  and " 

"  Where  is  he  buried  ?  "  broke  in  Miss  Ma- 
nila coldly. 

"Good  land!  I  don't  know  where  he's 
buried!"  said  the  captain  irritably.  "Don't 
you  suppose  I've  had  other  things  to  do  beside 
asking  her  where  her  husband's  buried  ?  What 
would  she  have  thought  of  me  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  what  she  thinks  of  you  now," 
said  Miss  Marilla.  "  But  I'm  proposing  to  find 
out.  I've  found  out  pretty  near  what  you  think 
of  her,  already." 

"  You  have  not !  "  cried  the  captain  desper- 
ately. "I  mean — I  don't  think  anything  of 
her,  not  in  that  way,  Marilla  I  Consider  my 
age !    Fifty-two." 

204 


CAFN  GID 

"  You  don't  look  it,  not  fixed  up  as  you  are 
to-day,"  said  Miss  Marilla  quite  unmoved. 
"  And  what  '  way '  is  it  that  you  don't  think 
anything  of  her  ?  " 

"  I've  been  here  only  eight  weeks."  The  cap- 
tain was  half  conscious  of  irrelevance,  but  his 
dignity  clutched  at  any  straw.  "  There,  this  is 
our  street.  And  here's  the  house.  You  let  me 
get  out  first." 

"  Don't  you  suppose  I  know  the  rudiments  of 
behavior  ?  "  said  Miss  Marilla.  "  You're  acting 
like  a  three-year-old,  Cousin  Gid,  and  if  you 
think  I  don't  know  how  glad  you  are  we've 
got  here,  you're  mightily  mistaken.  Who's 
that  looking  out  the  third-story  window  ?  '* 


205 


CHAPTER  XYII 

IT  was  the  third  day  after  Miss  Marilla's  ar- 
rival, and  already  it  seemed  to  Captain 
Gideon  Bold  as  if  she  had  always  been  there. 
"With  a  skill  born  of  long  experience  she  had 
put  questions  and  drawn  deductions;  every 
member  of  the  household  had  paid  to  her  toll 
of  answers,  willing  or  reluctant,  and  now  in  her 
best  black  silk  she  gazed  up  and  down  the  table 
length  with  the  air  of  one  at  ease  and  possessed 
of  all  necessary  knowledge. 

"  I'm  going  with  the  ladies  to  their  meeting 
to-night,"  she  informed  her  cousin  in  a  clear, 
carrying  tone.     "  They  want  I  should,  and  it's 
206 


CAP'N  GID 

an  excellent  opportunity ;  some  of  the  best 
known  speakers  are  to  take  part,  and  I  shall 
get  a  good  idea  of  the  subject." 

"  From  one  point  of  view,"  put  in  Mr.  Farn- 
ham. 

Miss  Marilla  leaned  slightly  forward  and 
bent  her  gaze  on  him. 

"  One  point  of  view  is  about  all  most  folks 
can  take  in  at  once,  without  they're  cross- 
eyed," she  answered. 

"  Wouldn't  you  like  me  to  take  you  to  the 
meeting?"  offered  the  captain,  but  Miss  Ma- 
rilla shook  her  head. 

"  We  don't  want  anybody  that  isn't  prepared 
to  go  with  an  open  mind,"  she  said,  "and  I 
happen  to  know  yours  is  very  far  from  open, 
Cousin  Gid.  I  s'pose  you  have  other  engage- 
ments, child,"  turning  to  Ruth  Temple. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  girl,  "  I  have.  I'm  going  to 
the  theatre," 

"  Good  for  you,"  said  Miss  Marilla.  "  When 
you're  young  you  can  take  your  choice  of  enter- 
tainments. When  you  get  to  my  age  you  snap 
at  the  first  thing  that  comes  along,  unless  you're 
207 


CAFN  GID 

prepared  to  sit  front  o'  the  fire  every  night,  and 
mourn  your  past." 

"I  stand  prepared  to  take  you  to  the  play 
any  evening  you  say  so,"  and  the  captain 
looked  at  her  reproachfully,  and  at  the  same 
moment  Mrs.  Hitchings  addressed  her. 

"  I  trust  it  is  not  in  the  light  of  an  entertain- 
ment that  you  are  looking  forward  to  the  even- 
ing," she  said  austerely. 

"  That's  the  way  I'm  looking  at  everything 
down  here,"  said  Miss  Marilla  with  an  air  of 
reckless  gaiety.     "  Isn't  it  'most  time  to  start  ?" 

Although  not  permitted  to  act  as  escort  Cap- 
tain Bold  awaited  his  cousin's  return,  and  it 
nas  well  after  ten  o'clock  when  he  and  Mrs. 
Kose  Tippett,  with  whom  he  had  been  confer- 
ring as  to  the  probable  whereabouts  of  the  party, 
heard  a  latch-key.  The  captain  stepped  to  the 
door,  followed  by  Mrs.  Tippett. 

"  I  was  afraid  something  had  occurred,"  he 
said  to  Mrs.  Hitchings  who  was  removing  her 
latch-key.  "  You  spoke  of  returning  soon  after 
nine." 

To  his  dismay  Mrs.  Hitchings  passed  him 
208 


CAP'N  GID 

without  a  glance  and  proceeded  to  mount  the 
stairs  with  an  uncompromisingly  heavy  tread. 
After  her  sped  Miss  Rawson,  who  had  the 
air  of  being  withdrawn  from  all  spectators. 
Behind  her  with  arms  interlocked  came  Mrs. 
Damon  and  Miss  Marilla.  They  lurched  un- 
steadily over  the  threshold,  and  for  one  horrible 
moment  the  captain  thought  that  one  or  the 
other  if  not  both  of  them  had  indulged  in  some 
unwonted  stimulant.  It  appeared  that  Miss 
Marilla  was  the  less  demoralized  of  the  two. 

"  You  let  us  sit  down  and  get  our  breaths," 
she  said  feebly,  "  and  we'll  tell  you  about  it,  or 
I  will.  Here,  you  take  the  sofa,"  she  advised 
her  companion,  "  and  lean  back.  Don't  try  to 
talk  yet." 

"We've  been  trodden  under  foot,"  gasped 
Mrs.  Damon,  her  large  features  working  and 
her  eyes  suffused  with  a  mist  which  speedily 
resolved  itself  into  tears. 

"  What ! "  cried  the  captain,  while  Mrs.  Tip- 
pett  busied  herself  with  stufl&ng  cushions  be- 
hind the  sufferer  and  Miss  Marilla,  who  had 
sunk  into  an  armchair,  looking  quite  limp  and 
209 


CAFN  GID 

forlorn.  She  rallied,  however,  and  spoke  her 
mind,  once  for  all. 

"  I'm  not  saying  where  the  blame  lies,  for  I 
don't  know,"  she  said ;  "  but  what  I  do  know 
is  that  a  parcel  of  women  who'll  turn  them- 
selves into  a  mob  because  one  of  'em  thinks  she 
smells  smoke,  and  won't  listen  to  reason  set 
forth  to  'em  from  the  platform  as  loud  as  a 
man  can  holler,  aren't  fit  to  govern  anything 
or  anybody,  in  my  opinion.  Did  Mrs.  Damon 
or  I  want  to  leave  our  seats  ?  Indeed  we  didn't  1 
but  we  were  pressed  out  of  'em  and  carried 
along  down  the  aisle  and  out  into  the  corridor, 
willy-nilly !  Sometimes  we  were  carried  back- 
ward, sometimes  we  were  jammed  against  each 
other  and  again  almost  torn  apart. 

"  And  what  'most  finished  this  poor  woman," 
Miss  MariU^  bent  a  pitying  glance  on  the  agi- 
tated bulk  on  the  sofa,  "  what  'most  finished 
her  was  being  knocked  down  by  a  big  '  Don't 
Push '  sign  mounted  on  a  kind  of  an  easel.  I 
kep'  my  hold  on  her,  well  as  I  could,  and  I  was 
able  to  pull  her  up,  but  the  back  breadth  of  my 
skirt  is  in  ribbons,  where  I  was  clawed  and 
210 


CAP'N  GID 

clutched  by  those  that  came  behind.  And  you 
just  cast  your  eye  on  my  hat,  will  you  ?  "  she 
requested  Mrs.  Tippett.  "  Does  it  look  to  you 
as  if  I  could  ever  wear  it  again  ?  " 

"  It's  a  shame,"  said  Mrs.  Tippett,  the  soft 
color  rising  in  her  cheeks.  "  A  perfect  shame ! 
and  it  was  such  a  pretty  hat." 

"'Twas  suitable  for  my  years,"  said  Miss 
Marilla,  "and  the  materials  were  of  the  best, 
but  as  I  told  Mrs.  Hitchings,  she's  a  heavy  built 
woman,  and  let  her  plant  one  of  her  feet  right 
in  the  crown  of  a  hat,  it  isn't  ever  going  to  be  the 
same  again.  She  and  Miss  Rawson  were  close 
behind,  driving  us,  when  the '  Don't  Push '  board 
struck  Mrs.  Damon,  and  they  passed  right  over 
us,  as  you  might  say.  Talking  of  it  in  the  drug- 
store afterward  they  didn't  seem  to  recall  hav- 
ing any  trouble  getting  out,  but  we  know  about 
it,  I  guess,  don't  we  ?  " 

"I'd  never  have  believed  it  of  Mrs.  Hitch- 
ings," panted  the  victim  on  the  sofa.  "You 
might  have  expected  it  of  Miss  Kawson,  being 
such  a  nervous  make-up  and  afraid  of  fire,  but 
Mrs.  Hitchings'  voice  rose  above  everybody's 
211 


CAP'N  GID 

else,  just  bellowing,  '  Make  Way  !  Make  Way ! ' 
only  of  course  I  can't  do  it  loud  for  my  strength's 
all  gone.  If  poor  Mr.  Damon  could  see  me 
now,  I  don't  know  what  he'd  say.  I've  always 
had  such  a  sheltered  life." 

"  You're  a  poor  one  to  try  any  o'  this  wom- 
an's rights  business,"  said  Miss  Marilla  firmly. 
"  I  hope  this'U  be  the  last  of  it  for  you.  Now 
I'm  going  straight  to  bed.  I'm  not  bruised  as 
much  as  you,  but  I'm  considerable  shaken  up. 
Cousin  Gid,  you  can  give  me  your  arm  to  go 
upstairs,  if  you've  a  mind." 

"  I  thought  'twas  best  to  leave  that  poor  scared 
woman  to  Mrs.  Tippett,"  said  Miss  Marilla  when 
the  door  of  her  room  was  attained.  "  How  did 
you  get  on  to-night  ?  Don't  tell  me  you  let  the 
time  go  to  waste." 

"I  don't  know  what  you  mean,"  said  the 
captain,  turning  a  lively  scarlet  under  her  gaze. 
"  I  was  in  my  room  reading  till  well  after  nine." 

Miss  Marilla  surveyed  him  from  under  her 
battered  head-gear  with  a  mixture  of  scorn  and 
amusement. 

"I  declare  I  don't  know  what  the  Lord's 
212 


CAP'N  GID 

thinking  of  to  give  men  so  little  sense  as  the  most 
of  'em  have,"  she  said  as  she  turned  from  him. 

"And  just  now  you  appear  to  think  most 
women  are  fools,"  said  the  captain  with  some 
spirit.     "  Nobody  suits  you,  seems  to  me." 

By  way  of  response  his  cousin  gave  him  only 
an  enigmatical  smile  along  with  her  "good- 
night "  as  she  closed  the  door. 

"  I  wasn't  going  to  tell  her  I  started  out  to 
make  Mrs.  Tippett  a  little  call  in  her  sitting- 
room  and  heard  a  man's  voice  in  there  talking 
loud,  and  hers  half-crying,"  thought  the  cap- 
tain, as  he  entered  his  room  a  moment  later. 
"  And  if  Miss  Kawson  doesn't  stop  trying  to  tell 
me  whatever  'tis  she's  ferreted  out  I'll — she'll 
regret  it,  that's  all !     She'd  better  let  me  alone." 


-;;-;^--^rt;gj6j*  V*  "^—    \ 


213 


r^s^j'"' 


CHAPTER  XVIII 


^ii 


"  /'^H,  no,  I'm  quite  sure  you  are  mistaken," 
V^  said  Mrs.  Rose  Tippett  to  the  visitor  who 
sat  rocking  and  surveying  her  with  a  determined 
but  agreeable  air.  "  Captain  Bold  has  been  very 
kind  to  me ;  no  one  else  has  been  so  kind  and 
thoughtful.  But  I  am  quite  sure  it  is  just  his 
friendliness.     And  I  respect  him  so  highly." 

"You've  no  need  to  lose  your  respect  for 
him  because  he's  waited  till  late  in  life  to  fall 
in  love,"  said  Miss  Marilla.  "  That's  what  he's 
done.  I  was  engaged  once  ;  he  married  another 
woman,  but  I  know  the  signs.  I  knew  what 
was  the  matter  with  Cousin  Gid  from  his  letters 
214 


CAFN  GID 

before  I  came  down  here.  Writing  me  about 
the  '  spring  in  the  air.'  The  spring's  in  him  ; 
that's  where  'tis.  Any  reason  why  he  shouldn't 
fall  in  love  with  you  if  he  likes  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  think  there  is  a  good  reason,"  said 
Mrs.  Tippett,  avoiding  Miss  Marilla's  eyes.  "  I 
think  there  is  a  very  good  reason." 

"  Is  your  husband  living  ?  "  asked  Miss  Marilla 
bluntly. 

"  Oh,  no,  he  died  more  than  two  years  ago," 
said  Mrs.  Tippett. 

"  I  can't  think  of  anything  else  that  would 
be  a  good  and  sufficient  reason  for  your  not 
taking  Cousin  Gid  if  you  like  him,"  said  Miss 
Marilla  thoughtfully.  "  You  must  be  twenty 
years  younger,  but  that's  no  objection,  to  me. 
You're  of  sound  mind." 

"  I  hope  I  am,"  Mrs.  Tippett  smiled  faintly. 
"  I  don't  feel  quite  sure  of  it,  when  it  comes  to 
money  matters.  In  spite  of  all  Mrs.  Hitchings' 
advice  I  can't  make  this  house  pay.  And  I 
have  debts.  Oh  !  I  ought  not  to  tell  you.  I 
am  horrified  at  myself  !  Meat  and  everything 
costs  so  much  !  " 

215 


CAP'N  GID 

Miss  Manila's  shrewd  face  wore  a  very  kindly 
look. 

"You  ought  to  tell  somebody,  child,"  she 
said,  "and  you  don't  want  to  teU.  Gid  yet. 
I  can  see  that.     You  tell  me." 

"  Every  one  pays  good  board ;  I  think  really 
they  pay  too  much,"  said  Mrs.  Tippett  simply ; 
"  of  course  I  get  nothing  from  Mrs.  Hitchings' 
room,  because  she  lent  me  the  money  to  start 
here,  buy  the  things  I  needed  for  the  house, 
you  know ;  but  every  one  else  pays ;  and  it's 
just  the  awful  biUs  that  seem  to  eat  up  all  the 
profits ;  I  go  over  and  over  my  account  books 
evenings,  and  it  makes  me  almost  distracted. 
The  tradesman's  bills,  the  gas  bills,  all  the  little 
extra  things  that  are  so  sure  to  count  up  into 
big  sums  at  the  end  of  the  month  !  I've  never 
been  used  to  handling  money.  Sometimes — 
sometimes  I  think  I  have  made  a  mistake  in 
trying  to  keep  a  boarding-house," 

"  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  you  had."  Miss  Ma- 
nila looked  at  her  sharply  but  kindly.  "  What 
would  you  get  for  Mrs.  Hitchings'  room  and 
board  a  week  if  you  were  free  to  charge  for  it  ?  " 
216 


CAFN  GID 

"  Fifteen  dollars  a  week,"  said  Mrs,  Tippett ; 
"  it  is  a  large  room,  and  sunny.  I  got  that 
while  she  was  away  last  summer." 

"  M-m,"  said  Miss  Marilla  ;  "  then,  allowing 
for  a  good  high  rate  of  interest,  I  judge  she 
must  have  loaned  you  upwards  of  ten  thousand 
dollars." 

"  Oh,  no ! "  cried  Mrs.  Tippett.  "  How  could 
you  think  I  would  borrow  such  a  sum,  when  I 
should  never,  never  be  sure  of  paying  it  back  ! 
But  she  did  lend  me  a  thousand  dollars — and 
now  it  seems  like  a  million,  when  I  think  of  it 
— and  I  think  of  it  most  of  the  time,  for  Mrs. 
Hitchings  is  disappointed  in  me ;  I  haven't  nearly 
as  much  ability  as  she  imagined,  she  says." 

"  Haven't  you  ?  "  said  Miss  Marilla.  "  Well, 
she  has  enough  to  make  up.  A  woman  that 
can  get  sixty  per  cent,  interest  on  a  thousand 
dollar  loan  has  what  I  call  business  ability — 
that  is,  unless  I  should  call  it  something  that 
isn't  quite  so  complimentary." 

"  Oh,  but  I  haven't  looked  at  it  that  way," 
said  Mrs.  Tippett.     "  You  see,  she  didn't  oblige 
me  to  give  her  a  note,  or  anything." 
217 


CAFN  GID 

"Well,  I  shouldn't  think  even  she'd  have 
had  the  face  to  ask  for  a  note  when  she  made 
sure  of  getting  her  money  back  with  twenty 
per  cent,  interest  by  the  end  of  your  two  years' 
lease,"  said  Miss  Marilla  grimly.  "  At  the  end 
of  that  time  I  suppose  she  calculates  to  leave 
you  high  and  dry.     Isn't  that  her  plan  ?  " 

"  She  is  going  abroad,  she  says,  at  the  end 
of  this  season,"  admitted  Mrs.  Tippett.  She 
looked  distressed  and   bewildered. 

"Well,  if  ever  anybody  needed  a  man  to 
look  after  her  it's  you,"  stated  Miss  Marilla. 
"  Why  haven't  you  asked  any  of  'em  here  for 
advice  ?  That  Corcoran  man  is  a  foolish  talker 
with  his  jokes,  but  he  has  good  common  sense 
when  it  comes  to  business  ;  and  I've  no  doubt 
that  other  one,  Famham,  if  you  could  get  his 
mind  off  his  stomach  and  liver  for  a  few  minutes, 
would  be  worth  something.  And  letting  those 
two  go  by,  why  in  the  world  haven't  you 
talked  to  Gid?  He'd  have  liked  nothing 
better  than  helping  you.  There  isn't  a  man, 
woman  or  child  up  in  Felling  that  hasn't  come 
to  him  one  time  or  another.  There's  a  whole 
218 


CAFN  GID 

possy  of  'em  now  just  waiting  for  him  to  get 
over  his  mad  and  go  home.  He'll  have  enough 
matters  to  settle  to  keep  him  busy  for  a  month 
steady.     Why  haven't  you  talked  to  him  ?  " 

"  I  have  talked  to  him  about  all  sorts  of 
things,  and  he  has  helped  me  in  many  ways," 
said  Mrs.  Tippett,  looking  down  at  her  slender 
hands.  "  But  Mrs.  Hitchings  warned  me  never 
to  trouble  my  boarders  with  my  own  worries ; 
she  said  they  would  leave  if  I  did.  She  has 
had  a  great  deal  of  experience ;  she  has  boarded 
for  fifteen  years." 

"Is  that  all?"  inquired  Miss  Marilla.  "I 
should  have  supposed  she'd  been  at  it  twice 
as  long  at  least.  Well  now,  see  here,  do  you 
give  me  leave  to  tell  my  cousin  what  you've 
told  me  ?  I  promise  you  it  won't  make  him 
leave,  not  till  he's  good  and  ready." 

"  I'm  afraid  he  won't  understand  about  Mrs. 
Hitchings,"  and  Mrs.  Tippett's  eyes  were  full 
of  trouble.  "  She  was — she  has  been  very  kind 
to  me,  but  lately,  since  Captain  Bold  came  and 
before  that,  she  has  been  dissatisfied  with  me, 
and  sometimes  speaks  quite — quite  sharply.  I 
219 


CAP'N  GID 

think  most  men  do  not  wish  to  hear  that  sort 
of  thing,  and  I'm  afraid  Captain  Bold  does  not 
like  her." 

"  You'd  be  something  more  than  '  afraid '  if 
you  had  my  privilege  of  hearing  him  speak 
freely — you'd  be  sure  and  certain.  There  " — 
and  Miss  Marilla  rose  with  her  usual  decision 
of  movement,  "  I  mustn't  stay  here  talking 
with  you  another  minute.  I'm  wasting  my 
own  time  and  hindering  you,  no  doubt.  I'll 
come  in  again." 

"  I  didn't  quite  get  at  the  cause  of  her  think- 
ing she  couldn't  marry  Gid  if  he  asked  her," 
she  mused  as  she  walked  slowly  along  the 
street,  "  but  I  shall  find  out,  give  me  a  little 
more  time.  She  didn't  say  she'd  marry  him  if 
there  wasn't  any  obstacle,  but  on  the  other 
hand  she  didn't  say  she  wouldn't.  I  think  it's 
a  kind  of  a  hopeful  outlook  for  Gid  if  I  can 
put  a  little  sprawl  into  him  and  he  doesn't 
bungle  too  much.  I'd  give  five  cents  to  know 
what  makes  him  shy  off  so  whenever  I  start 
talking  about  her.  Now  that  time  with  the 
Widow  Mason,  and  all  the  other  times  he's 


CAFN  GID 

been  free-spoken  with  me ;  he  could  hardly 
get  out  the  words  fast  enough  to  tell  me  he 
didn't  want  part  or  parcel  of  'em.  I  wonder 
if  he " 

In  the  very  middle  of  the  crossing  Miss 
Marilla  stopped  and  stamped  her  foot. 

"  FU  wager  that's  the  root  of  it !  "  she  said 
aloud,  and  suddenly  felt  her  elbow  in  a  firm 
grasp  and  herself  under  the  guidance  of  a  tall 
policeman. 

"  Got  some  kind  of  a  little  seizure,  ma'am  ?  " 
he  said  in  a  calm  but  sympathetic  tone  as  they 
reached  the  curb-stone.  "  Saw  you  just  in  time 
before  that  auto  got  you.  How  would  it  be  if 
you  stepped  into  the  drug-store  and  let  me  call 
a  cab  for  you  ?  I  wouldn't  try  walking  any 
farther,  seems  to  me." 

"  Let  go  of  me  ! "  said  Miss  Marilla,  upturn- 
ing an  indignant  face  to  meet  his  gaze.  "  Don't 
you  know  the  difference  between  a  woman 
stopping  a  minute  when  an  idea  strikes  her, 
and  one  having  a  fit  ?    Let  go,  I  tell  you !  " 

"  Yery  well,  ma'am,"  and  the  policeman  re- 
garded her  with  an  injured  air,  as  he  released 
221 


'her  elbow.  "  Only  you'd  better  not  have  your 
next  idea  strike  you  in  the  middle  of  the  street, 
unless  you  want  it  to  be  the  last  one  you  ever 
have.  That's  my  advice,  and  you  needn't 
thank  me  for  it,  either." 

It  was  several  days  before  there  came  to  Miss 
Marilla  what  she  considered  a  fitting  opportu- 
nity to  tell  her  cousin  about  the  financial  dealings 
of  Mrs.  Hitchings.  At  the  time  she  chose  Cap- 
tain Bold  was  accompanying  her  home  from  a 
concert  at  which  they  had  experienced  doubtful 

joy- 

"  He  banged  the  ivories  in  great  style,"  the 
captain  said  impatiently  as  they  reached  the 
cool  air  of  the  street,  grateful  to  their  cheeks 
after  the  heat  of  the  crowded  hall ;  "  his  fingers 
were  all  right,  I  guess,  but  the  heart  wasn't 
there.  You  wait  till  you  hear  Ruth  Temple 
play  one  o*  those  very  pieces  and  you'll  see  the 
difference." 

"I've  been  expecting  you'd  say  that,"  re- 
marked Miss  Marilla  indulgently.  "She  is  a 
pretty  player,  that  child,  there's  no  doubt  of  it. 
But  see  here,  Cousin  Gid,  there's  something  I 
222 


CAFN  GID 

want  to  tell  you,  and  I  never  get  a  fair  chance 
when  we're  in  the  house,  on  account  of  that 
Miss  Rawson  being  everywhere  at  once  as  you 
might  say.     You  listen  to  me  now." 

The  captain  listened  obediently,  and  with 
every  minute  his  wrath  mounted  higher. 

"  By  George !  You  let  me  get  at  that 
woman ! "  he  cried  at  last.     "  You  let  me " 

"  S-sh,"  counseled  Miss  Marilla,  jerking  his 
arm.  "  I've  been  stopped  by  one  policeman ; 
that's  enough  for  our  family.  If  you  don't  quit 
blasting  out  that  way  like  as  not  we'll  both  be 
arrested  for  disturbing  the  peace.  Say  what- 
ever you  want  to,  but  say  it  low,  for  pity's  sake." 

The  captain's  voice  sank  to  an  inarticulate 
rumble,  but  he  bore  his  cousin  along  so  rapidly 
that  at  last  she  protested. 

"  You  can't  say  anything  to  Mrs.  Hitchings 
to-night,  Gid,"  she  told  him,  dragging  her  feet 
to  retard  his  progress.  "  Don't  haul  me  over 
the  ground  so  !  She's  gone  away  to  address  a 
meeting  and  stay  over  night.  And  you  listen 
to  me  again — if  you're  holding  off  from  Mrs. 
Tippett  on  my  account  let  me  tell  you  thai 
223 


CAP'N  GID 

Cousin  Edward,  out  in  Iowa,  has  written  be- 
seeching me  to  come  back  out  there  where  I 
was  born  and  help  him  look  after  the  children, 
and  I'm  wild  to  go  for  a  year,  anyway.  After 
that  we'll  see.  I  could  divide  my  time,  if  best. 
There's  a  good  deal  of  thinking  for  you  to  do," 
she  ended  in  a  tone  of  deep  meaning — "  and 
you'd  better  do  it.  You  stop  thinking  about 
the  two  young  folks.  They're  getting  on  all 
right.     You  consider  your  own  caseP 

That  night  the  captain  had  a  recurrent  dream 
which  closely  resembled  a  nightmare.  In  it 
he  confronted  Mrs.  Rose  Tippett,  absolutely 
tongue-tied,  with  his  Cousin  Marilla  at  his 
elbow,  saying  in  a  loud  whisper:  "Now's 
your  chance !    Ask  her ! " 

After  passing  through  this  experience  for 
the  third  time  the  captain  woke  to  find  him- 
self sitting  up  in  bed,  in  a  cold  perspiration, 
and  hearing  strange  sounds. 

"  What's  that  noise,  and  where  does  it  come 

from  ? "  he  asked,  aloud.     "  It's  a  drip  from 

something,  that's  what  it  is.     I  guess  I'd  better 

get  up  and  see  to  it.     By  thunder,  it  sounds  like 

224 


CAP'N  GID 

a  big  leak  somewhere !  Let  me  get  into  my 
clothes  and  see  what's  going  on." 

He  turned  On  the  light  and  by  its  aid 
achieved  a  hybrid  costume  which  he  deemed 
suflQcient  for  his  explorations.  Cautiously 
opening  the  door  he  peered  out  into  the  hall, 
where  one  light  was  burning  dimly.  At  that 
moment  a  clock  in  the  neighborhood  gave  out 
the  hour  of  three. 

"  Pretty  time  to  be  up,"  muttered  the  cap- 
tain, "but  listen  to  that,  will  you?  The 
water's  pouring  down  somewhere.  I  must  see 
to  it.    It's  below  here." 

He  had  gone  part  way  down  when  there 
came  a  crash  and  a  thud.  The  captain  cleared 
the  remaining  stairs  at  a  bound,  and  rushed 
into  the  parlor. 

"  What  in — where  in "  he  shouted  and 

tore  up  the  stairs  again  to  the  door  of  Mrs. 
Hitchings'  room,  from  beneath  which  a  little 
stream  of  water  was  oozing  out  into  the  hall. 
He  heard  Mrs.  Tippett's  voice  as  she  hurried  to 
the  parlor  from  her  room  behind  it,  and  from 
above  he  was  assailed  by  a  volley  of  questions. 
225 


CAP'N  GID 


Miss  Rawson's  voice,  raised  to  a  shriek,  fol- 
lowed him  over  the  threshold. 

"  Is  the  house  on  fire  ?  "  she  cried  from  the 
stair  rail  over  which  she  hung  in  a  pale  green 
kimono,  her  scanty  locks  done  up  in  what  Miss 
Marilla  called  "  kid  caterpillars."  "  Will  some- 
body tell  me  at  once  ?    I  have  valuable  papers." 


rhr^ 


CHAPTER  XIX 


THE  captain  paid  no  heed  to  questions. 
"  Bring  pails,  buckets,  mops,  cloths,  any- 
thing that'll  hold  water,"  he  roared,  appearing 
in  the  doorway.  "  This  whole  place  is  afloat ! 
I've  turned  off  the  faucet,  but  there's  plenty  of 
trouble  here  and  down-stairs.  The  women 
folks'd  better  keep  away.  I  don't  want  any 
petticoats  in  this  room.  "Where's  Mrs.  Tip- 
pett  ?  " 

Down  the  stairs,  neatly  and  completely  clad 
in  a  rubber  rain-coat,  came  Miss  Marilla. 

"  Put  on  yours  and  come,  too,"  she  said  to 
227 


CAP'N  GID 

Ruth  Temple.  "Gid  doesn't  know  what  he 
wants.     Men  never  do." 

Mr.  Corcoran,  Mr.  Farnham  and  Jack  Sever- 
ance had  responded  to  the  captain's  call,  each 
with  a  bath- towel  in  his  hand. 

"Here,  you  give  me  those  towels,"  com- 
manded Miss  Marilla.  "  A  minute  more  won't 
make  any  difference,  and  there's  no  sense  ruin- 
ing everything  the  poor  little  soul  has  in  the 
house.  I'll  get  some  suitable  cloths.  Mr. 
Severance,  you  come  down  with  me." 

Meekly  the  men  surrendered  their  bath- 
towels,  and  obediently  Jack  Severance  followed 
his  leader  down-stairs.  As  they  reached  the 
parlor  door  they  heard  a  sound  as  of  one  laugh- 
ing and  crying  at  the  same  time. 

"  She's  got  hysterics,"  whispered  Miss  Marilla. 
"  Well,  no  wonder.     My  stars  !  look  in  there ! " 

The  great  red  sofa  bore  a  mass  of  sodden 
plaster ;  the  largest  of  the  flaming  armchairs 
had  received  another  mass,  while  from  the 
ceiling  depended  in  various  places  more  plaster, 
apparently  ready  to  leave  its  moorings  and  add 
to  the  wreckage  below.  And  just  inside  the 
228 


CAP'N  GID 

door  in  a  soft  brown  wmpper,  with  her  hair 
braided  down  her  back,  and  curKng  around  her 
face,  with  shining  eyes  and  flushed  cheeks, 
stood  Mrs.  Rose  Tippett,  laughing,  with  every 
now  and  then  a  little  catch  in  her  breath  that 
sounded  like  a  sob. 

"  It's  ruined,  isn't  it  ?  "  she  said  turning  to 
Miss  Marilla.  "Don't  you  think  it  is  really 
ruined  ?  The  stains  would  never  come  out  of 
that  red,  would  they  ?    I'm  glad  !  " 

Miss  Marilla  spoke  to  her  in  a  firm  but  sooth- 
ing tone,  laying  a  hand  on  her  arm. 

"  You  don't  know  what  you're  saying,  poor 
child,  and  no  wonder,"  she  said,  guiding  Mrs. 
Tippett  out  of  the  room  and  toward  the  clean- 
ing closet  at  the  back  of  the  house.  "  You  lift 
that  plaster  off  the  furniture,"  she  called  over 
her  shoulder  to  young  Severance.  "  There's 
great  damage  done,  but  that  Hitchings  woman 
will  have  to  pay  for  all  of  it.  Leaving  a  faucet 
running,  and  the  stopper  in  her  bowl !  I  never 
heard  of  such  work.  It's  a  wonder  she  hasn't 
flooded  the  whole  house  and  drowned  us  all." 

"  She  went  away  in  a  great  hurry  right  after 
229 


CAFN  GID 

dinner,"  said  Mrs.  Tippett.  "  I  was  so  tired  I 
went  to  bed  early  and  slept  soundly.  It  hap- 
pened that  every  one  was  in  early  last  night. 
Mrs.  Hitchings  must  have  neglected  to  lock  her 
door,  or  we  couldn't  have  got  in  without  break- 
ing it  down." 

"  Gid  wouldn't  have  hesitated  to  break  it 
down,"  said  Miss  Marilla.  "  Let's  put  these  big 
tin  pans  on  the  parlor  floor  to  catch  the  rest  of 
the  drip,  while  Mr.  Severance  starts  up  with 
some  of  these  cloths  and  mops  to  set  the  men  at 
work." 

"  Help  me  stem  the  rushing  tide  as  it  surges 
over  the  threshold,"  said  Jack  Severance,  hand- 
ing Ruth  Temple  a  mop.  "  That  will  be  a 
noble  work.  Think  of  our  dear  Mrs.  Hitchings 
not  being  here  to  see  what  she's  accomplished  in 
the  way  of  making  home  happy." 

"  You  step  right  into  the  room  with  that  mop, 
young  man,"  laughed  Miss  Marilla  who  with 
Mrs.  Tippett  had  reached  the  second  story,  car- 
rying a  couple  of  pails.  "  "We  women  folks  can 
sop  up  what  little  comes  out  here  with  these 
sponges.  What's  that  floating  round  in  the 
230 


CAFN  GID 

middle  of  the  floor  ?  Hand  that  to  me,  Gid, 
whatever  'tis.  It's  a  solid  wad  o'  handker- 
chiefs !  "Well,  I  never  !  She  was  soaking  'em 
out  in  her  bowl." 

"  Oh,  I  don't  think  she  could  have  been ! " 
said  Mrs.  Tippett.  "  She  told  me  that  was  one 
of  the  things  I  must  never  allow  the  boarders 
to  do.     I've  always  spoken  of  it  to  them." 

"  You  never  spoke  to  her  of  it,  I'll  wager," 
said  Miss  Marilla  grimly.  "  She  saw  to  that — 
old  schemer ! " 

"  You  spoke  to  me,"  said  Miss  Rawson,  an  ac- 
cusing eye  on  Mrs.  Tippett.  "  To  me — when  aU 
my  washing  goes  to  the  Sunlight  Laundry,  and 
always  has !  It  might  have  been  considered 
an  insult,  if  I'd  chosen  to  take  it  so." 

"  I'm  glad  you  had  a  few  grains  o'  common 
sense,"  said  Miss  Marilla.  "  Here,  you  come 
down  another  stair  and  take  one  o'  these 
sponges.  Unless  you're  planning  to  keep  mov- 
ing I  should  advise  you  to  go  back  to  bed.  It's 
damp  here  to  be  standing  'round  doing  nothing. 
You  can  squeeze  your  sponge  into  this  pail  Miss 
Temple  and  I  are  using." 
231 


CAFN  GID 

"  I  never  expected  to  have  anything  like  this 
to  do,"  said  Miss  Rawson,  divided  between 
rebellion  and  the  desire  to  see  all  that  went  on. 

"  Didn't  you,  now  ?  "  and  Miss  Marilla  wrung 
out  her  sponge  with  great  vigor.  "  What  a 
good  thing  it  is  for  all  of  us  to  get  a  surprise 
once  in  a  while.  I  can't  say  that  I  was  count- 
ing on  just  this  sort  of  early  morning  work 
when  I  accepted  Cousin  Gid's  invitation,  but 
here  I  am.  There,  Mrs.  Tippett,  you  stop 
work  and  let  us  finish.  Don't  you  think  you'd 
better  go  down  into  the  parlor  and  see  if  it's 
stopped  dripping?  You  might  need  to  move 
something  more." 

As  Mrs.  Tippett  went  down  the  stairs,  Miss 
Marilla  stepped  over  the  threshold  of  the  room 
in  which  the  men  were  working. 

"  Can't  you  be  spared  a  minute,  Gid  ?  "  she 
asked.  "  Mrs.  Tippett's  gone  down  to  see 
about  the  parlor  and  she  might  need  help. 
"Well,  you  men  have  been  real  smart  in  here, 
I  must  say.  Mr.  Farnham,  you  let  me  take 
that  cloth  a  minute  and  you  rest.  You're  all 
beat  out,  you've  worked  so  hard." 
232 


CAFN  GID 

"I've  never  had  the  reputation  of  being  a 
shirk,  madam,  when  there  was  work  to  be 
done,"  said  Mr.  Farnham.  "  It  is  only  in  re- 
gard to  the  social  duties  that  I  am  counted  so 
remiss." 

"  Well,  I'm  sure  you've  been  real  social  over 
this,"  said  Miss  Marilla,  "and  I  don't  know 
but  it's  done  you  good.  You  don't  look  half 
so  yellow  as  usual,  not  half.  But  I'd  go  back 
to  bed  now." 

"Thank  you,"  said  Mr.  Farnham,  "for  the 
compliment  and  the  advice,  both  of  which  I 
am  obliged  to  accept.  I  begin  to  feel  very 
chilly.     I'll  bid  you  good-morning." 

Miss  Marilla  looked  after  him  and  shook  her 
head. 

"  It's  awful  hard  for  him  to  be  folksy,"  she 
said  with  regret.  "Mr.  Severance,  you  give 
me  that  mop  and  Mr.  Corcoran  and  I  will 
finish  up  here.  You  go  see  if  Miss  Temple's 
pail  needs  emptying.  And  you  ask  Miss 
Rawson  if  she  will  come  in  here  a  minute 
and  help  me.     It's  safe  for  her,  now." 

"  I've  always  had  delicate  lungs,"  said  Miss 
233 


CAFN  GID 

Rawson,  stepping  gingerly  into  the  water- 
soaked  room.  "  What  am  I  to  do  here  ? 
What  a  looking  place !  " 

"  Isn't  it  ?  "  and  Miss  Marilla  gazed  cheerfully 
about  her.  "  And  to  think  who  it  is  that's 
done  it !  That's  what  pleases  me.  Mr.  Cor- 
coran, will  you  see  if  that  door'U  shut ;  just 
for  curiosity,  I'd  like  to  know;  water  does 
swell  things  so.  Can  you  push  it  way  to  ? 
It  does  go,  doesn't  it  ?  Now  my  advice  would 
be  to  leave  it  shut,  long  as  we've  dried  off  the 
sill;  and  if  you'll  open  the  register  wide,  we 
can  maybe  heat  this  up  a  little  bit.  Miss 
Rawson,  you  just  help  me  with  this  place 
under  the  windows  where  two  can  work  to 
better  advantage  than  one,  and  then  we'll  call 
it  done,  unless  Mr.  Corcoran  sees  some  other 
spot  that  needs  special  attention." 

While  Miss  Marilla,  able  commander,  worked 
with  one  chuckling,  one  reluctant  helper,  out  in 
the  hall  Jack  Severance  stood  smiling  down  at 
Ruth  Temple. 

"  You  look  about  fifteen,"  he  told  her,  "  and 
very  domestic.  There's  nobody  to  hear,  so  I 
234 


CAFN  GID 

don't  care  what  I  say.  You're  having  almost 
as  good  a  time  with  that  sponge  as  you  do  at 
a  concert.  You  needn't  say  you  aren't,  for  I 
know  better.  Your  eyes  are  like  stars,  and  I 
don't  care  how  many  other  people,  poets  and 
commoners,  have  said  it.  And  your  hair  is  the 
prettiest  thing  I  ever  saw  in  all  my  life ! " 

"  You  mustn't  talk  that  way,"  said  Euth 
Temple.  "  My  hair  must  look  perfectly  dread- 
ful and  you  know  my  hands  are  too  wet  and 
cold  to  do  anything  with  it." 

"I  shall  talk  exactly  that  way,"  said  Jack 
Severance,  "  and  I  thank  the  Lord  for  your  wet 
hands  ;  but  they  aren't  cold,  are  they  ?  " 

"  Cold — you  just  feel,"  said  the  girl  indig- 
nantly, thrusting  one  hand  at  him. 

His  fingers  closed  over  it,  and  held  it  fast. 

"  My  pay  was  raised  to-day,"  said  Jack 
Severance,  stooping  till  his  face  was  close  to 
hers.  "Don't  you  think  we  could  live  hand- 
somely on  thirty-five  dollars  a  week,  and  you 
give  me  a  music  lesson  every  evening,  so  you 
wouldn't  miss  your  pupils  ?  " 

"Oh,"  said  Ruth  Temple,  "I'm  tired  of 
235 


CAFN  GID 


teaching !    At  least Jack  !  oh,  see  what 

you've  done !  You've  tipped  the  pail  over ! 
And  there's  all  my  work  gone  for  nothing ! " 

Her  last  words  had  a  smothered  sound.  A 
moment  later  Jack  Severance  seated  •  her, 
flushed  and  laughing,  on  the  stairs  which  led 
up  to  the  next  landing. 

"  You  watch  me  wield  the  floor  cloth,"  he 
said,  "  and  see  what  a  treasure  you're  going  to 
have  right  in  your  family.  What  I've  done  up 
to  the  last  three  minutes  has  been  half-hearted 
work.    Now  you'll  see  something  worth  while." 


236 


CHAPTER  XX 


WHEN  Captain  Bold  entered  the  parlor 
for  the  second  time  Mrs.  Eose  Tippett 
was  seated  in  the  smallest  chair  in  the  room, 
looking  about  her  with  despair  in  her  eyes.  In 
several  spots  on  the  floor  lay  masses  of  plaster ; 
two  intermittent  drips  were  gradually  filling 
the  pans  placed  to  catch  them ;  the  carpet  was 
soaked  and  stained  for  a  good  third  of  its  area ; 
the  chairs  were  for  the  most  part  wet  and 
streaked  and  the  ceiling  sagged  forlornly  all 
around  the  jagged  bare  spots  from  which  the 
plaster  had  fallen.  The  captain  stepped  briskly 
up  to  Mrs.  Tippett. 

237 


CAFN  GID 

"Now,  don't  you  worry, '  he  said  cheerfully. 
"I'll  take  this  whole  matter  right  off  your 
hands  and  settle  it  for  you,  if  you'll  let  me. 
It's  every  bit  of  it  the  fault  of  that  Hitchings 
woman,  and  I  can  testify  to  that  in  court  if 
need  be,  but  she  won't  let  it  come  to  that.  I 
came  home  mad  as  a  hornet  last  night,  any- 
way, on  account  of  what  Cousin  Marilla'd  been 
telling  me  about  the  way  that  woman  has 
cheated  you  ever  since  you  took  this  house. 
After  I've  had  a  few  minutes'  conversation 
with  her  she'll  be  ready  to  do  about  as  I  say. 
But  why  in  the  world  haven't  you  told  me 
anything  of  it  before  ?  Don't  you  count  me 
for  a  friend  ?  " 

Mrs.  Tippett  looked  up  at  him  with  a  faint 
tinge  of  color  in  her  cheeks.  He  stood  directly 
before  her,  an  unheroic  figure  with  more  than 
a  suggestion  of  the  grotesque  in  his  appearance, 
but  dependable  from  the  crown  of  his  head  to 
his  feet,  which  at  that  moment  were  encased  in 
unbuttoned  overshoes. 

"  Of  course  I  count  you  for  a  friend,"  said 
Mrs.  Rose  Tippett ;  "  haven't  I  proved  it  by 
238 


CAFN  GIB 

the  many  ways  in  which  I  have  accepted  help 
from  you  ?  But  there  are  things  about  which 
I  couldn't  trouble  you." 

"  I'd  like  to  know  why  not,"  said  the  cap- 
tain, folding  his  arms  across  the  frogs  of  his 
flowered  dressing-gown,  the  gift  of  Miss 
Marilla  on  his  last  birthday.  "  And  'twouldn't 
have  been  a  trouble ;  'twould  have  been  a 
pleasure ;  don't  you  know  that?  " 

His  eyes  were  fastened  on  hers,  which  did 
not  drop  but,  filled  with  anxiety,  looked 
straight  up  at  him. 

"I'm  not  accustomed — it  is  a  long  while 
since  any  one  has  accounted  it  a  pleasure  to 
look  after  troublesome  affairs  for  me,"  she  said 
gently.  "My  father  did  it  as  long  as  he 
hved;  but  he  has  been  dead  for  more  than 
ten  years." 

"That's  the  idea,"  said  the  captain;  "you 
just  let  me  take  his  place.  Anything  that  he 
did,  I'll  do." 

"Oh,"  and  then  at  last  her  eyes  dropped, 
and  she  shook  her  head.  "I'm  afraid  you 
couldn't." 

239 


CAFN  GID 

"Could,  too,"  asserted  the  captain.  "See 
here,  I'm  no  eavesdropper,  but  I  came  down 
intending  to  make  you  a  little  call  that  evening 
of  the  suffrage  meeting  when  Mrs.  Damon 
came  so  near  her  end,  and  the  man  that  was  in 
your  sitting-room  was  talking  so  loud  I  couldn't 
help  hearing  a  good  deal  before  I  got  out  of 
ear-shot  again.  I  know  exactly  how  to  attend 
to  a  man  like  that.  You'll  pay  that  debt 
you've  assumed  to  the  folks  he  represents  when 
the  time's  up,  and  not  a  day  before.  You 
don't  know  any  more  about  business  than  a 
kitten ! "  and  he  smiled  indulgently  down  at 
her. 

"  But  I  shan't  be  able  to  pay  them  when  the 
note  is  due,"  said  Mrs.  Tippett,  raising  her  eyes 
again  as  if  she  found  strength  in  the  sight  of 
the  captain.  "It's  all  I  can  do  to  pay  the 
interest ;  he's  had  to  wait  for  it  twice.  And 
he'll  have  to  wait  again  next  month." 

"  No  he  won't,"  said  the  captain,  "  not  after 
I've  talked  to  your  other  creditors  and  got  things 
on  a  fair  basis.    You're  going  to  make  money 

this  spring,  and  then  we'll " 

240 


CAP'N  GID 

At  this  point  Miss  Marilla  first  looked  and 
then  marched  into  the  room. 

"  Well,  how  are  you  two  getting  on  ?  "  she 
asked  with  a  businesslike  air  which  put  the  cap- 
tain into  a  cold  perspiration  such  as  his  night- 
mare had  brought  out.  "  I've  just  given  my 
congratulations  to  the  two  young  folks  over- 
head ;  they're  so  happy  they  didn't  hear  what 
I  said,  nor  notice  when  I  stepped  over  their 
feet  on  my  way  to  the  stairs." 

"  I've  been  telling  Mrs.  Tippett  I'd  like  to 
look  after  her  affairs  just  the  way  her  father  al- 
ways did,"  said  the  captain  uneasily.  "  She's 
in  some  little  money  difficulties  that  I  can 
straighten  out  for  her  ;  and  then,  when  we  get 
Mrs.  Hitchings  on  a  proper  paying  basis— she 
has  plenty  to  do  with — Mrs.  Tippett  will  be 
fixed  complete ;  she'll  have  a  tidy  sum  to  put 
away  every  month  as  long  as  she  stays  here,  to 
pay  her  interest  and  so  on." 

"  Cousin  Gid,  you  do  try  me  to  the  very  limit 
o'  my  patience,"  said  Miss  Marilla  eyeing  him 
with  the  air  of  one  exasperated  beyond  endur- 
ance. "  Now  I've  made  up  my  mind  what  rU 
241 


CAFN  GID 

do,  and  you  listen  to  me.  I  will  stay  here  with 
Mrs.  Tippett  till  her  lease  runs  out  in  Septem- 
ber, and  I'll  show  her  how  to  make  money 
out  of  this  boarding-house  and  keep  it  even 
better  than  it's  kept  now.  And  in  September, 
when  her  pocket's  full,  I'll  take  her  out  to 
Iowa  with  me.  The  change  will  do  her  good 
and  I'd  like  to  have  Edward  get  a  look  at 
her.  And  if  she  decides  to  stay  out  there,  as  I 
think  she  will  if  Edward  has  as  much  common 
sense  and  spunk  as  he  used  to  have,  then  I'll  be 
free  to  come  back  and  keep  house  for  you." 

The  captain  had  stared  at  her,  dismayed  but 
speechless,  from  the  moment  she  began ;  now 
as  she  paused  for  breath  he  gave  her  a  be- 
seeching glance  and  moistened  his  lips,  but  Miss 
Marilla  bore  on  before  he  had  made  a  sound. 

"As  for  you,"  she  said  scornfully,  "you  can  get 
right  back  to  Felling,  and  the  sooner  the  better. 
You  can  board  at  the  Gaynes's — see  how  you 
like  her  cooking — play  backgammon  with  old 
Asa  Dean,  run  with  the  fire-company,  set  out  the 
drinking  fountain,  and  play  Providence  to  all  the 
widows  and  incompetents  up  there.  I'll  look 
242 


CAP'N  GID 

after  Mrs.  Tippett,  and  I  shan  t  offer  to  be  a 
father  to  her,  either.     You  with  your  fathers  ! " 

Neither  of  the  cousins  looked  at  Mrs.  Rose 
Tippett  for  a  moment.  Then  suddenly  the  cap- 
tain unfolded  his  arras  and  straightened  his  back. 
In  the  rush  of  unlisted  feelings  that  swept  him 
far  beyond  embarrassment  he  recognized  a  de- 
sire to  make  himself  as  tall  as  possible.  He  for- 
got his  scornful  relative  as  completely  as  if  she 
had  been  where  a  few  moments  before  he  had 
wished  her,  safe  in  Felling,  Vermont, 

"  Mrs.  Tippett,"  he  said,  "  will  you  please 
look  up  at  me  a  minute  ?  I  want  to  take  back 
almost  everything  I've  said.  I  don't  want  to 
have  your  father's  place  at  all.     What  I " 

"  Look  out !  "  cried  Miss  Marilla.  "  That 
piece  of  plastering's  coming  right  down  on  her 
head !     Oh,  you " 

Two  arms  like  steel  had  shot  out  from  the 
captain's  sides  and  lifted  Mrs.  Tippett  from  her 
chair  just  in  time  ;  but  for  the  tired  little  woman 
held  in  safety  the  steel  was  turned  to  something 
warm  and  infinitely  tender. 

Miss  Marilla,  unregarded,  made  her  way  from 
243 


CAFN  GID 

the  room.  She  spoke  no  word  in  her  pas- 
sage, but  to  the  captain  came  once  more  the 
voice  of  his  dream  : 

"  Now's  your  chance  !    Ask  her !  " 

And  that  time  he  did. 


244 


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